Pep Guardiola has issued a clear warning to Manchester City, indicating that he may consider resigning as manager if he is given an overly large squad next season.
After City’s 3-1 win against Bournemouth on Tuesday, the Spaniard spoke about the emotional strain of leaving too many fit players out of the matchday squad.
A number of senior players — including Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri, and Rico Lewis — were left out of the 20-man squad for the match.
He remarked, “I told the club I don’t want that. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. If it comes to that, I will resign. Please create a shorter squad; I will remain.
“It is impossible for me to [tell] my players in the stands that they cannot play.
“For perhaps three or four months, we struggled to field 11 players; we lacked defenders, and it was extremely challenging. After some time, players returned, but next season cannot mirror that.
“As a manager, I cannot train 24 players, and every time I select a team, I must leave four, five, or six behind in Manchester because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I have informed the club that I don’t want this situation.”
City invested over £200 million during the January transfer window, acquiring Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis. Echeverri also officially joined from River Plate after completing a loan period.
So far, Kevin De Bruyne is the only confirmed departure this summer, while Jack Grealish’s future remains unclear, as he has not started a Premier League match since 2 April.
When questioned about the likelihood of more departures, Guardiola, whose contract runs until 2027, said, “That’s a question for the club. I don’t wish to have 24, 25, or 26 players when everyone is fit. If injuries arise, then that’s unfortunate, but we can turn to some players from the academy, and we will manage.”
