Pep Guardiola addressed Manchester City’s summer transfer window priorities, emphasizing the need for players who can withstand the physical demands of the upcoming season. This focus comes amid uncertainty surrounding Ilkay Gundogan’s future at the club, despite the automatic extension of his contract until 2026.
Gundogan, who returned to Manchester after a year with Barcelona, struggled to adapt to the Premier League’s increased pace. Although he remained largely injury-free, the team’s overall injury crisis forced him into more appearances than anticipated. Guardiola acknowledged Gundogan’s contributions but hinted at a possible departure if it benefits both parties.
Pep Guardiola said: “He has one more year on his contract, definitely. What is going to happen I don’t know. But he has one more year now. The Gundo from Leicester, the Gundo from Bournemouth, the Gundo from [Palace] is the Gundo I remember. When we won the Treble he was so important. His activity, space, his defensive intelligence, when he arrives. Gundo has been with us massively. But as a team, we could not help him. It is not about ‘you, you, you’. Everyone was down. Everyone was below because the team was not playing good. When the team plays good the player arrives. Without that, in modern football, you cannot do it.”
The manager also discussed the left-back position, which saw six different players fill the role throughout the season. While attacking midfielder Nico O’Reilly showed promise with a goal and an assist against Crystal Palace, his defensive vulnerabilities were evident. Guardiola, however, has successfully operated without a traditional left-back in the past and remains focused on player reliability.
Guardiola continued: “Obviously. Nico is helping us but he is not a left back. That is true. I played with Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, Fabian Delph at left-back. We find solutions for many years. When players have qualities they help us. Sometimes Rico plays full-back on the left. It helps us massively. Of course, we can help with Nathan (Ake) but Nathan, like John Stones, has been injured all season. The most important thing, from my point of view, I said to the club, which players are reliable for the future. You cannot perform if you are not reliable and you are injured. The players we have, they can play every three days, three days, or they cannot. Then we build a squad for next season.”
Guardiola’s comments underline the importance of building a squad capable of enduring the rigors of the Premier League. As Manchester City prepares for the 2024-2025 season, the focus will be on securing players who can consistently perform and remain fit.
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