Pep Guardiola has issued a firm warning to Manchester City, declaring he would consider quitting as manager if he is handed an oversized squad next season.
Speaking after City’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday, the Spaniard said he struggles with the emotional toll of leaving too many fit players out of the matchday squad.
He said, “I said to the club, I don’t want that. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad; I will stay.
“It’s impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play.
“Maybe three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players; we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After, people came back, but next season it cannot be like that.
“As a manager I cannot train 24 players, and every time I select, I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don’t want that.”
City spent over £200 million during the January window, bringing in Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis. Echeverri also officially joined from River Plate after completing a loan spell.
So far, Kevin De Bruyne is the only confirmed departure this summer, though Jack Grealish’s future remains uncertain, having not started a Premier League match since April 2.
When asked if more exits are likely, Guardiola, who is contracted until 2027, said, “It is a question for the club. I don’t want to have 24, 25, or 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy, and we do it.”
