PEP GUARDIOLA refused to rule out taking Aston Villa’s midfield ace Douglas Luiz back to the Etihad this summer.
Manchester City have a buy-back option set at around £25million for the Brazilian, 22, they sold two years ago.
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Guardiola was impressed by what he saw but City were unable to get the required paperwork when they really needed him.
Now he says the club will make a decision on whether to take up the opportunity to re-sign Luiz at the end of the season.
Guardiola said: “There are a lot of people at the club working about these kind of players and at the end of the season we are going to take a decision.
“I have many things in my head for these five or six weeks. All of us have.
“We’ve fought a lot to be here, to be in the Champions League semi final for only the second time.”
Guardiola did admit he was impressed by what he has seen of Luiz and with his performance in City’s 2-1 win at Villa Park on Wednesday night.
He said: “He’s played a lot of minutes, important for Villa. A guy who is clever with the ball, physically strong. A lovely guy.
“Unfortunately he could not play with us because of the work permit but he is developing really well and I’m happy for him.
“Today when he was involved in the game both defensively and offensively he was good.”
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Guardiola will be relieved that he is left to focus on footballing matters following the club’s embarrassing about-turn on the European Super League.
City emailed a personal apology for the farce to all their registered fans.
Etihad chief executive Ferran Soriano signed the letter, admitting City’s involvement had “lost sight of the historic values of the club”.
A fan-led backlash left the ESL in tatters just three days after the announcement 12 rebel clubs were forming a money-spinning breakaway league without relegation.
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