In a dramatic announcement, Pep Guardiola warned that he may step down as Manchester City manager if the club does not reduce the size of its squad, sending shockwaves through the football world.
Manchester City are looking to rebuild the squad, and it seems like the plan is to kick out senior players and give room to young, energetic players.
Guardiola’s movement has already started as Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri, and Lewis were not included in the 20-man matchday squad on Tuesday against Bournemouth, which The Citizens won by 3-1, moving the team to third place in the Premier League standings.
The 54-year-old expressed to the media how he finds it hard and heartless to not give players a chance to prove themselves and must leave them out.
“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 [stands] that they cannot play.
“Maybe [for] three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players, we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After, people came 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.”
Kevin de Bruyne is the only player confirmed that his exiting the door, ending his football chapter with City, while things are still uncertain about Jack Grealish.
The midfielder last showed his presence on the field on April 2 against Leicester City where he scored the opening goal and City won that match by 2-0.
The manager also added that if he needs players and there are injuries in the future, he will have to use some players from the academy.
“It is a question for the club. I don’t want to have 24, 25, 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy, and we do it.”
Perhaps Guardiola is taking inspiration from the champions Liverpool, whose squad of 24 players is notably smaller than Manchester City’s. Even Arsenal, the current runners-up, along with Aston Villa, Everton, and Nottingham Forest, operate with just 25 squad players.
