Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that he wanted one of his previous strikers to stay longer at the Etihad Stadium.
As the best team in England over the past decade or so, Manchester City have had some of the world’s best players plying their trade at the Etihad.
Some of them were bona fide legends, as per their statues outside the stadium, while others were cult heroes along the line of ‘the streets won’t forget’.
Pep Guardiola has now spoken about one of those players, with Ferran Sorriano also deeming said player his favourite signing of the Txiki Begiristain era.
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Pep Guardiola says Jesus Navas ‘should have finished his contract’ with Manchester City
The player in question is Jesus Navas, who played for Man City between 2013 and 2017 – the only club he played for aside from Sevilla.
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Navas came into conversation when Sorriano, Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain were discussing the latter’s signings on A Farewell to Txiki.
Soriano told Begiristain: “I’ve got a game for you; Here are all the signings you’ve made. You have to pick a good one…”
Begiristain said he had “a lot of love” for John Stones, while Guardiola said: “I’m going for [Ilkay] Gundogan.
“Gundo, also because he was great value…”
Soriano then said: “I’m going to go for a less obvious choice, Jesus Navas… He should have stayed longer with us…”
Guardiola replied: “He should have finished his contract with us…”
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Pep Guardiola said he made a mistake with Jesus Navas
Navas did in fact leave Man City on a free transfer when his contract expired in 2017.
However, The Mirror reported a few weeks before his departure that City had offered him a new contract.
Guardiola reportedly wanted to keep Navas after a string of good performances late on in the 2017-18 campaign.
In the end, Navas ended up leaving as he returned to his boyhood club.
Guardiola was among the well-wishers in a video message after Navas’ final appearance of his career.
“Thank you for the gift of having spent a year together,” the City boss said. “You don’t know how much I regret letting you go.
“I would have loved for you to stay longer here, but sometimes you make mistakes.”
“Congratulations to all Sevillistas for having had such an extraordinary player and a person who defines Sevillismo.
“For many years to come, Sevillistas, don’t let him slip away. Keep him close and with all of you. Farewell.”