Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri is too fat to play, according to new boss Pep Guardiola.
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Meanwhile, Everton have rejected City’s first bid of £40m for Stones. The transfer would set a new English record, just pipping the £49 million the Citizens paid Liverpool for Raheem Sterling. “In football the season starts when the last one finishes”, he said.
FC’s Gab Marcotti addresses the multiple rumours suggesting the possible transfer of Everton’s John Stones to Manchester City. You know, I know, everyone knows we would like to have him but at the moment he is a Schalke player.
In addition to his progressive training approach, Guardiola has also said he would allow the players to decide who will lead them in the absence of injury-prone captain Vincent Kompany.
Speaking in China, where City are on a money-spinning pre-season tour, the French defender told the Guardian newspaper and other British media that former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Guardiola had wasted no time in laying down the law.
Then asked if reports were true that City were any closer to signing long term target Stones, he said: “It’s the same answer for Sane – he’s a player for Everton. So at the end of the window, we will have to see which players we have”.
Fernandinho, who does not turn 32 until May, is the only first-team player to have completed 90 minutes for Guardiola this preseason. Hopefully in the next two weeks, he will be OK.
Nasri, 29, was an unused substitute for Thursday’s International Champions Cup win over Borussia Dortmund in China.
“I am very happy with the squad we have”, Guardiola added.
City won – and finally got the workout Guardiola had craved – thanks to a 6-5 penalty shootout win over Dortmund, after the game ended one apiece.
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“In central midfield he said something like if he could play 11 midfielders, he would play them. By 31 August we will have the right squad to play how we want”.
