Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has cast doubt on the club signing a new striker this summer, admitting the current prices of players make such deals ‘impossible’.
The Premier League champions are hopeful of bolstering their strike force this summer after the exit of Sergio Aguero, who has joined Barcelona as a free agent after a decade at the Etihad.
Gabriel Jesus is now the only senior striker in City’s squad and whilst there is a plethora of attacking talent at the club – including Spain international Ferran Torres – a new striker is reportedly high on the club’s summer to-do list.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland are said to be among the targets, but the price tags of each – far in excess of £100million this summer – makes any deal hugely complicated.
(Image: PA)
City boss Guardiola has now expressed his doubts on such a deal being concluded this summer.
Guardiola explained on Catalan TV station TV3 : “At the prices we are not going to buy any strikers, it is impossible, we cannot afford it. It is impossible.
“All clubs are struggling financially; we are not an exception. We have Gabriel [Jesus], Ferran [Torres] who has been incredible in this position, we have young players in the academy, we play many times with a false nine.
“I don’t know what is going to happen. Maybe we are going to buy but maybe we are not going to buy a striker for next season. Today there is more chance we aren’t going to buy a striker for next season.”
The City boss was then specifically asked about the club’s reported interest in Barcelona’s utility player Sergi Roberto.
The versatile Blaugrana player is out of contract at Camp Nou next year and may be eager to shift him from their wage bill this summer.
Do Man City need to sign a striker this summer? Comment below
Guardiola added: “I will not answer these things.
“Sergi is a Barca player. All the Barca players and all players at other great teams in the world are good, but Sergi is a Barca player and I will not respond to the national television of Catalunya.”
Guardiola was also quizzed about the possibility of City raiding his former club Barcelona or El Clasico rivals Real Madrid in this summer’s transfer window.
The City boss continued: “I imagine that if we want to sign a Barca or Madrid player for €100m or so, Barca and Madrid will not complain. They will be delighted that it can be done.
“I don’t know how the market will end. I don’t know, with Txiki [Begiristain], what we can do because many times you want to do things that are not possible.
“What we can do, we will do and if not we will continue with the squad we have, with which we have won three leagues in four years and finally reached a Champions League final.”
