‘You have to call Barcelona’ - Guardiola responds to Torres transfer reports

Pep Guardiola was giving little away on Wednesday afternoon when asked about the future of Manchester City forward Ferran Torres.

The Spanish international has been heavily linked with a mid-season move to Barcelona and their vice president, Rafael Yuste, hinted earlier this week that talks were ongoing between the Catalan club and City.

“Ferran is a great player and we are working with discretion,” said Yuste. “We have friends at Manchester City and there is good relationship.”

While Guardiola refused to comment on the rumours, he did seem to imply there had been some form of communication between the forward and Barcelona.

“It’s not my business,” the City manager responded during Wednesday’s press conference. “You have to call [City Director of Football] Txiki [Begiristain] for that, or the agent for Ferran Torres, or Barcelona. I’m not the guy to talk about that.

“Our players are so good,” he added, when asked about why other clubs comment on transfer dealings. “Also we call some players from the other clubs when we are interested, so that I completely understand. I cannot control that and it depends on many many things.”

Players can leave if they want to

Answering a separate question, Guardiola told reporters that City’s players would be allowed to leave if they wish, as long as the correct price can be agreed with another club.

He also claimed the Premier League champions have to pay a premium for players given their status in the game.

“Always after five, six seasons together and you move and bring in new players to the locker room with the desire and the passion to win and to continue to do it, then other ones want to leave.

“Always I say to the players, especially after four seasons here, ‘please don’t stay if you don’t want to be here’. Do it for yourself, but for me and for the club there is no sense. Life is too short to be here for one contract, to hold you and make you stay where you don’t want to be.

“At the same time we are not going to give [away] presents. When we go to the market, just for Man City, we have to pay more all the time just because we have this environment. Of course we are not going to give the player for free and we have to make negotiations.”