Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was clear on transfers as he signed off for the season before the Club World Cup
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Man City manager Pep Guardiola
Man City manager Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola finished his season as he had spent large chunks of it: defending his squad. It was the Manchester City manager who told his bosses last summer that a rebuild in the transfer market was not needed, and even after a season from hell he stands by it.
City spent £175m in the January transfer window to survive the campaign, yet in the last few months as Guardiola has found a way forward it has only really been £59m forward Omar Marmoush who has been regularly involved - and that was helped by the absence of Erling Haaland through injury. After admitting that he would likely need a bigger squad next season after all their injury issues, Guardiola has rowed back and said he will not tolerate having to leave so many players out every weekend.
City are expected to add three or four new signings this summer, with midfield and full-back the key areas that need strengthening. A successor to Kevin De Bruyne is needed, while Kyle Walker is also off before even tackling the fact that every left-back for years has been played there out of position.
However, as Txiki Begiristain and Hugo Viana prepare to give Guardiola the players he needs for next season, the manager insists he already has most of them. Having ruled out a 2017-style splurge due to the lack of contracts expiring in the squad, Guardiola also defended how good his current stars remain, talking about their pride and fire inside them.
It is that fire that Guardiola holds as a main factor in their slide this season, with the 'vibes' that had carried them to the highest heights disappearing when the going got tough. It is an annoying intangible that cannot be measured, yet that doesn't make it any less important.
The smile on the manager's face at Bournemouth at the end of March in the FA Cup was enormous as he spotted the return of that desire and hunger. Ilkay Gundogan noticed it too, and Bernardo Silva angrily hit back at the idea that certain players in the squad were finished that very day.
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Guardiola believes that the squad have recovered what they lost, and that is why they were able to beat Fulham on the final day to confirm Champions League qualification for next season. They have been damaged this year, but recovered to make sure it was not critical.
"In January, February still we didn't work well but I think except the first half against Southampton the last games we have behaved really good - with the spirt that we had in the past," he said. "Of course we missed some things but hopefully next season we can solve it.
"What happens next season the club is going to decide. I give my suggestions but the club will decide. That is not the most important thing, the most important thing is how we create again our connection and vibes between all of us to go another game, know we are a good team, and compete everywhere.
"This season, especially in these months, we were not able to do it. We were miles away."
City need a strong transfer window in order to get better competition and quality in key positions, but the message from Guardiola for his bosses is clear. As far as he is concerned, the most important thing they have to make sure is that they are able to keep the mentality that is back within the squad.
As fans hope for new faces, Guardiola is more interested in preserving what is already at the Etihad. Marrying the two will be what is expected of the recruitment team this summer.
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