Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a bold and emotional statement about his future at the club, insisting he will not continue in his role if the club maintains a large squad next season.
In a candid interview, Guardiola revealed he has explicitly told the Manchester City board that he refuses to work with a bloated team, suggesting it goes against his core values as a coach.
“I said to the club: I don’t want that, I don’t want to put five, six players in the tribune… I don’t want that. I will quit. If they don’t make a short squad, I will not stay.”
The Catalan coach, who has led City to multiple Premier League titles and a historic treble, expressed that managing a large squad is emotionally draining — especially when talented players are left out of matchday squads altogether.
“It’s impossible for my soul to put players in the tribune and cannot play. As a manager, I cannot be training 24 players and when I select there has to be four, five, six staying at home because they can’t play,” he added.
Guardiola stressed he is willing to take the risk of being short on numbers due to injuries, preferring to call upon academy players when necessary rather than keeping senior professionals sidelined without opportunities.
“If I have injuries, unlucky! We’ll have some players from the Academy and we will do it.”
As the summer transfer window approaches, Guardiola’s ultimatum is likely to influence the club’s recruitment and retention strategy. The message is clear: quality over quantity — or he walks.