Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is frustrated with the gruelling schedule imposed on his players which has limited his preparation time for the new Premier League season.
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Schalke star Sane, reportedly valued at £40million by the Bundesliga club, has always been linked with a potential switch to the Etihad Stadium.
“In central midfield he said something like if he could play 11 midfielders, he would play them”.
But senior City sources are now insistent that they will not budge on their valuation of the England defender, which is in the region of £40 million. “You don’t have time to rest, we are going to kill our players”.
“If he comes we’ll be happy, if he stays in Schalke I will be happy for the fans and for the Schalke club”, Guardiola explained, as quoted by ESPN.
Pep Guardiola identified Stones as a priority target months ago, and the 22-year-old’s desire to play for the Catalan coach at the Etihad Stadium has forced other potential suitors to back away from negotiations. “Hopefully in the next two weeks, he will be okay”. Everybody knows we’re going to try but I don’t know what’s going to happen.
Guardiola also confirmed that former Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri has been absent from City’s pre-season programme due to his weight.
The Englishman also said that he hopes to pull it off before City goes to their International Champions Cup tour in China, which was already finished on Thursday after their 1-1 (6-5) penalties victory over Borussia Dortmund.
“We didn’t travel to China just for a holiday or for a training session”, an angry Guardiola said at a press conference on Wednesday in Shenzhen.
City’s game against Manchester United in Beijing was cancelled on Monday and some of their players – who reported back late after Euro 2016 and Copa America duty – will have only one or two warm-ups. I like midfielders to play at centre back because they can play good passes.
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Borussia Dortmund will look to maintain their impressive preseason by beating Manchester City on Thursday. His new City side need it.
