Pep Guardiola Confirms Man City Veteran's Departure Ahead of £5.3m Roma Switch
Manchester City's summer squad overhaul is due to continue apace with the revelation that Aleksandar Kolarov is set to join Roma.
The full-back, who is one of City's longest serving players, is due to complete a switch to the Serie A giants after Sky Sports quoted Pep Guardiola stating as much.
Tuttomercatoweb has also revealed that Kolarov will set Roma back €6m (£5.3m) and the 31-year-old will now undergo a medical with the Giallorossi ahead of moving to Italy.
Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard (R) breaks away from Manchester City's Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov to scores his team's thrid goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 3, 2016. / AFP / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
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Guardiola was asked about Kolarov's future at the Etihad Stadium following his side's 2-0 Manchester derby friendly defeat to Manchester United in Los Angeles on Thursday, and the Spaniard pretty much confirmed that Kolarov was on his way out.
He said: "I don't like to work with people who don't want to stay. Kola helped me a lot last season in terms of many, many things, but he has a big chance to come back to Rome where he was before.
"He spoke to me, with the club but especially to me, and said he would like to leave and I don't like to live still with players that don't want to stay.
"That's what it is the best option for everybody, especially for him. I wish him all the best because he is a really nice guy. We had an excellent relationship with him, I was very pleased to train him and I wish him and his family the best."
Kolarov, who joined City from Roma's bitter rivals Lazio in July 2010, was utilised on a more sporadic basis towards the end of last season after initially being installed as Guardiola's favoured choice at left-back.
The Serbia international found himself on the bench on an increasing basis from the beginning of March onwards and, with the third-placed Premier League finishers looking to bring Monaco's Benjamin Mendy to the club, would see his game time reduced even further in 2017/18.
Kolarov went on to make 247 appearances in all competitions for the Citizens, scoring 21 goals and registering 37 assists, during his seven-year spell in England, and lifted six trophies including two top flight titles.
