‘Three players is not rebuilding the team’ – Guardiola adamant Man City don’t need overhaul

Pep Guardiola sees no need to “rebuild” at Manchester City, with it his opinion that only minor tweaks are required in upcoming transfer windows that he expects to be relatively quiet.

The defending Premier League champions have slipped off the title pace in 2019-20.

Uncharacteristic wobbles have left the Blues third in the standings, 11 points adrift of table-topping Liverpool.

It has been suggested that more investment may be required by a club that has spent big in a bid to establish domestic dominance and become a major player on the European scene.

Guardiola, though, has claimed that he will not be looking to spend in January and remains adamant that no overhaul is required at the Etihad Stadium.

“We don’t have to rebuild too much,” he told reporters when quizzed on his future recruitment plans.

“Three players is not rebuilding the team. Rebuilding the team is seven or eight, which we did in the second season when seven players finished their contract because 11 players were over 30.

“To buy two or three players is not a rebuild, it’s just substituting positions.

“David (Silva’s) confirmed he’s leaving. Fernandinho doesn’t know but it’s normal – the players that arrive at his age and this stage of their lives. Of course, we have to replace them.”

Guardiola is prepared to work with what he has for now, with the Catalan eager to point out that it is difficult to find value in winter windows.

There have been plenty of calls for him to bring in another centre-half, amid the injury issues endured by the likes of Aymeric Laporte this season, but City will not splash the cash for the sake of it.

Guardiola added: “When they come for an incredible opportunity in January for the next four, five, six years maybe we could think about it, but that is not possible.

“Normally the players we could think it would be interesting to add something for our squad they are not going to sell.

“We could not sign a centre-back (in the summer). You know the history – we could not sign one. Nico (Otamendi) continued and we decided to adapt Fernandinho in this position and that’s all.

“Sometimes the club wants to try to do their best, but we cannot. We have to adapt and adjust with the players that we have and next season we will see.”

City have a big week approaching with those already on their books, with a short trip to Burnley in midweek set to be followed by a derby date against Manchester United on Saturday.