He added, when asked more about Silva: “I want to work with guys who want to stay ... but after that, we have to get an offer ... a proper offer. If they want him, they will take a plane, come here and talk with our sporting director, the ceo [chief executive], to arrive at an agreement. If new acquisitions are mentioned, Julian Alvarez’s name needs to be on the table too. And behind the Argentinian forward, there’s another fundamental figure to build Guardiola’s happiness at City. His name is Joan Patsy. He developed his game learning alongside Puyol, and has subsequently become a leader himself, unafraid to speak out about political issues and Catalan independence off the pitch, putting in cultured performances on it and even taking a heavy pay cut as Barca have struggled financially of late. And when he realised the time came to hang up his boots, he did it without fuss. Asked again about Silva he said: “I want to work with guys who want to stay … but after that we have to get an offer … a proper offer. If they want him, they will take a plane, come here and talk with our sporting director, the CEO, to arrive at an agreement.

Raheem Sterling chases the ball with Alcalá in hot pursuit during Manchester City’s pre-season friendly against Girona. Photograph: Pedro Salado/Action Plus via Getty Images Zinchenko has gone on to make 100 appearances for City, including 32 last season in what was perhaps his most impressive yet. City have been lending Girona players since Pere Guardiola became involved there, when the shares were bought by the French media company TVSE Futbol, in the summer of 2015, before City finally secured Pep’s signature as City’s manager. The principal purpose of buying the club is said to be the football one: maintaining a finishing school to which City can send players whom Pep is not selecting in the Premier League. In addition, the Catalan giants won the Supercopa de Espana three times, as well as twice lifting the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. A four-time Eredivisie title winner with PSV, it was thought the time was right for Afellay join Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona in 2010, following in the footsteps of the club’s many legendary Dutchmen.

Still, Fabregas was supremely technically gifted and at his peak lived up to the standards demanded of him, especially during the club’s record 100-point tally La Liga win of 2012-13, with the late, great Tito Vilanova succeeding Guardiola in the dugout. Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling moved on in the summer as Guardiola freshened up the City squad (Photo: Matt McNulty – Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images) Pep Guardiola calls on the power of prayer to close gap on Liverpool (12/2019): Pep Guardiola says Manchester City must pray they can close the gap on Liverpool next season after conceding the Premier League title to their rivals. So another club has been added to the Abu Dhabi portfolio centred on east Manchester, but Girona is much closer to home than the others of Mansour’s empire. His executives, surveying the football business after he bought City in 2008, decided early on to attain economies of scale and a global reach for sponsors by buying clubs on other continents.

Haaland ranked so high on City’s priority list that they did not hesitate over making the Norwegian wonderkid the highest earner in the club this summer, slightly above Kevin De Bruyne’s wages. And the way Haaland has hit the ground running, and adapted to City’s style, is regarded by those within the club as a decisive factor in Guardiola’s decision to extend his contract.This was the toughest test yet of new-look Liverpool’s title credentials, the size of which was underlined by City going into the match seeking to equal the all-time English record of 24 successive home wins in all competitions. Manchester City given the Covid-19 all clear after latest round of testing (12/2020): Pep Guardiola's squad reported to the City Football Academy on Tuesday for tests after five players and at least two staff members contracted the virus. After retiring as a player, Guardiola briefly managed Barcelona B, with whom he won a Tercera División title. He took charge of the first team in 2008. In his first season, he led Barcelona to the continental treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League, becoming the youngest manager to win the latter competition. He was named the FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2011 after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double in the 2010–11 season. Guardiola ended his four-year Barcelona stint in 2012 with 14 honours, a club record. Read even more about Pep Guardiola at Wikipedia Traded items with a signature of Pep Guardiola The fledgling manager was blessed to inherit the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets when he took over in 2008, but how was his record with bringing players in?

Charlie: Feels a strange decision and some of Pep Guardiola's team selections, formation and tactics have been a bit unusual in the last few months. But Pep has plenty of credit in the bank so we'll just have to trust and hope he gets it right. But which of his 21 incoming transfers has been the best? And which could, perhaps, be doing more to justify the money City spent to bring them in? His previous contract had been due to expire next summer, but before signing a new one he wanted to be sure, alongside his family, that this was the right step to take — everyone in his inner circle had to be on board with the decision. After an impressive loan spell with German side Fortuna Düsseldorf, Steffen spent last season as Ederson's understudy. Considering the opposition, Liverpool generally defended as well as you would expect as they kept their visitors at bay with the sort of play that saw them head into the weekend with the best defensive record in the Premier League.The Portugal international has also added versatility to his game, performing in a number of different roles, including as a number 10, right-winger and even as a box-to-box midfielder. The Belarusian joined in the same summer as Guardiola himself, a hugely exciting time and the dawn of the most successful period in the club’s history. The way you played today is the reason why I am a manager. You made me so, so proud,” Guardiola said in his speech, as one dressing-room member revealed to The Athletic. With no replacement likely in the January window City will be going into the remaining four months of the season with just 19 senior outfield players.

There was speculation that my relationship with Pep [Guardiola] was not the best, but the fact is I wanted to play more," Cancelo said.

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But hard-fought draws that show reserves of character and mental strength like this one here only add further evidence to the belief that this is now a team that can really challenge for major honours this term.