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This isn’t the first time Guardiola has mentioned the idea of exiting City.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola (AFP)
First, it’s De Bruyne who is departing from Man City. And now, possibly Guardiola?
The Manchester City head coach has warned his club that he ‘will quit’ if a huge squad of players is handed to him for the upcoming season.
A disappointed City will head into the summer looking to rebuild an ageing squad, with several senior players expected to follow Kevin De Bruyne out of the Etihad.
City’s unprecedented run of four successive top-flight English titles coming to an end, along with their defeat by Crystal Palace in last weekend’s FA Cup final, brought about the first season in eight years where the Guardiola-led side went trophyless.
Injuries played a massive role in hindering City this season. But Guardiola, always in favour of a smaller group of players, insisted: “I said to the club I don’t want that (a bigger 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.
“It’s impossible for my soul to tell my players in the tribune that they cannot play.”
The Spaniard added, “Now it happened to add players immediately. 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.
“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.”
Guardiola said he would rather bolster his squad with academy players than bring in more recruits.
“If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy, and we do it,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Guardiola has mentioned the idea of exiting City.
The Spaniard has stayed adamant on taking a break from football when he leaves Manchester City, but he does not know if/when he will retire from the game as a whole.
“After my contract with City, I’m going to stop. I’m sure,” Guardiola told ESPN earlier this month.
“I don’t know if I’m going to retire, but I’m going to take a break. How I want to be remembered, I don’t know.
The 54-year-old signed a two-year contract extension in November, keeping him at the Etihad until June 2027, which would be 11 years after he joined the club.
City has been by far the longest coaching spell of his career, spearheading an unprecedented period of success for City, leading them to six Premier League titles and delivering a first Champions League crown as part of a treble in 2022/23.
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