Pep Guardiola Shockingly Threatens to Quit Man City

Manchester City’s manager is overseeing a significant turnover in personnel after a drop in results.

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City strengthened their Champions League qualification bid by beating Bournemouth. | IMAGO/Sportimage

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has threatened to walk away from the former Premier League champions if they do not reduce the size of their squad this summer.

Tuesday night’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth boosted City’s chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but the Spaniard had to make selection compromises for the game as he had too many senior players available.

Savinho, James McAtee and Rico Lewis were all left out by Guardiola, as were January signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Claudio Echeverri—two up and coming youngsters who cost the club just shy of £50 million ($67 million, €59.2 million).

Guardiola, who signed a new two-year contract earlier this season to remain as City’s manager until 2027, told the media postmatch it’s not something he feels comfortable with, stating that he’d be prepared to quit the club if the issue was not addressed over the summer.

“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,” the Spaniard said.

“It’s impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play.

He continued: “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.

“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.”

Confirmed to be leaving City this summer is legendary midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who the club confirmed will receive a statue outside the Etihad Stadium honouring his contributions, while there’s uncertainty over the futures of goalkeeper Ederson, linked with a move to the cash-rich Saudi Pro League, and attacking midfielder Jack Grealish, who has seen his playing time significantly diminish during the 2024-25 campaign.

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