Pep Guardiola has dismissed suggestions that Manchester City’s £170m January spending spree was a preemptive measure against a potential transfer embargo.
City made key signings, including Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Nico Gonzalez, in response to an underwhelming season so far.
However, with the club facing 115 charges related to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, some speculated the spending was aimed at mitigating the impact of any future sanctions, including a transfer ban.
Guardiola believes City’s spending is often misjudged due to the club’s wealthy ownership.
He pointed out that, despite the recent spending, City’s net spend over the past five years has been the lowest among the top six Premier League clubs.
He also stressed that the club has sold many players in recent years.
Guardiola commented on new signing Nico Gonzalez, who will provide much-needed cover for the injured Rodri, and emphasized that there’s no pressure on Gonzalez to solve the team’s issues immediately.
Regarding Rodri’s recovery from a knee injury, Guardiola is not rushing his return and sees him playing a bigger role next season.
While Rodri remains in City’s Champions League squad, Guardiola made it clear that he will not pressure him to return before he is fully fit.
This article was updated 3 days ago
