The usually composed Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, has delivered a stark ultimatum to the club’s hierarchy: reduce the squad size or face his departure. This bombshell declaration, made as the current season draws to a close, sends a clear message about Guardiola’s vision for the team and the challenges of managing a large roster of elite players.
Guardiola, who signed a contract extension keeping him at the Etihad until 2027, has always favored working with a tight-knit group of players. However, this season has seen City’s squad swell, partly due to a mid-season injury crisis that forced the club to spend over £200 million on four new signings in January. While these additions provided much-needed depth during a difficult period, the return of key players has resulted in a surplus, leaving several senior figures regularly excluded from matchday squads.
The Spanish tactician articulated his discomfort with this situation after City’s recent 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, a match where several prominent players like Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri, and Rico Lewis were left out of the 20-man squad. “I said to the club I don’t want that,” Guardiola stated emphatically, referring to the prospect of a bloated squad. “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.”
This isn’t merely a tactical preference; it’s a matter of principle for Guardiola, touching upon the very “soul of the team.” He finds it emotionally taxing to constantly sideline talented individuals. “It’s impossible for my soul to give my players in the tribune that they cannot play,” he confessed. He vividly recalled the difficulties faced earlier in the season due to injuries: “Maybe for three or four months we couldn’t select 11 players, we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After people come back but next season it cannot be like that.”
Guardiola further elaborated on the impracticality of managing an oversized squad on a day-to-day basis. “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.” His philosophy centers on intense training and a strong connection among players, something he feels is diluted when the squad is too large. He believes that a smaller group fosters better cohesion and a more unified spirit, lamenting that “this season we lost it a bit” in terms of creating that deep connection.
The implications of Guardiola’s stance are significant for Manchester City’s upcoming transfer window. With the departure of a club legend like Kevin De Bruyne as a free agent, and the future of players such as Jack Grealish in doubt due to limited playing time, there are already expected movements. However, Guardiola’s ultimatum means that any new arrivals will almost certainly be contingent on existing players making way. He is prepared to rely on academy prospects to cover for injuries rather than stockpiling senior players. “If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy and we do it,” he affirmed.
This firm stance underscores Guardiola’s commitment to his managerial principles, even if it means putting his own future at the club on the line. It places the ball firmly in the court of the club’s decision-makers, including outgoing director of football Txiki Begiristain and his successor Hugo Viana, who will now engage in crucial discussions with player representatives. The coming weeks will reveal whether Manchester City’s hierarchy can align with their manager’s demands and navigate a complex transfer market to build a leaner, yet equally potent, squad for the challenges of the next season. The stakes are incredibly high, as the club seeks to avoid a repeat of a trophyless campaign and maintain the winning culture that Guardiola has meticulously built.
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