Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has refused to discuss specific January targets despite suggestions the club are closing in on three new arrivals.
City have struggled with injuries during the first half of the season and are sixth in the Premier League table, although their recent form has improved with back-to-back wins over Leicester and West Ham.
Reports suggest progress is being made with Lens defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Palmeiras teenager Vitor Reis, as well as Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush.
Guardiola, however, gave nothing away when he addressed the media ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup tie with neighbors Salford.
Asked about possible transfers, he said: “Don’t ask me that because I’m not going.” [to answer]. You’ll be asking the same thing all month about everyone we’re associated with in the media, so I won’t talk. You can insist, I won’t answer because I don’t know the situation.
“We know we shouldn’t go into the transfer window, I don’t like it too much. The situation that happened this season with a lot, a lot, a lot of injuries, we have to try to do it because the situation is what it is. But what’s going on, I won’t say because I don’t know.
“Of course I have talks with the club, but the process and what is happening, I don’t know what will happen because it is very difficult. And what will happen will be, otherwise I can’t say anything else.”
I wasn’t clear?
Pressing specifically on Marmoush, he said, “Listen, wasn’t I clear in my answer? come on bro I was clear in my answer; I won’t talk. He is a player of another club, I will not answer.
“You can talk about the transition period until the end at every press conference, I won’t answer a single question! Don’t go that way!
“The same thing happened in the past. I was clear, wasn’t I? You can try it whenever you want, no problem, but you know my answer.”
Guardiola gives a little about Haaland
Neither John Stones nor Ruben Dias are fit enough to return tomorrow, although Ederson is available, while Guardiola refused to say whether top scorer Erling Haaland would be rested.
He said, “You’ll see tomorrow. He feels good, he had problems on the first day, but we had seven days from West Ham to Salford to recover well, and we need the situation we have that everyone is ready to go through.”
PEP 💬 Ederson is fine, but John Stones is not [he is not ready]. pic.twitter.com/UBbYn17EGI
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 10, 2025
He plays against his city
Salford are owned by several members of Manchester United’s ‘Class of 92’, including Gary Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, and will be at the Etihad on the back of seven wins in their last eight league games, a run that has pushed them up to third in the Second league.
Guardiola was quick to praise boss Karl Robinson and his players and is looking forward to the local clash.
“I’ve lived in Salford for the last eight years, so we’ll be playing my neighbourhood, my town I would say, where I live,” he said.
“[I have] a lot of respect for the manager; we played when he was in Oxford, and when he was Sam Allardyce’s assistant in Leeds, and in the last six games, six wins, so huge respect for them and what they do.
“We will take them seriously, of course, as always at this club since I arrived, and we hope that we can play a good game and achieve a third win in a row. This has not happened for a long time.”
