Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted for the first time that he is interested in signing Everton defender John Stones with the Catalan also providing an update on Leroy Sane. And last season he was overweight and he was injured all the season we want to avoid that, we want to adapt.
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The Citizens have been linked with the prodigious youngster continuously during the summer transfer window but remain reluctant to meet the Miners’ £40million valuation.
“They were not overweight but I want my players fit”, Guardiola told reporters on Wednesday.
Everton value the 22-year-old at £50million-plus so there is some negotiation to be done yet and, as a result, Stones was on the squad list for Germany released by the club.
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. “We can give them two or three weeks [holiday] but the schedule is the schedule”.
Guardiola was speaking to the media after City beat Borussia Dortmund on penalties in the global Champions Cup in Shenzhen Stadium.
Full-back Gael Clichy confirmed earlier this week that some players had been jettisoned from first-team training due to concerns over their fitness levels.
“I think Fernandinho can play in 10 positions”, Guardiola said at a news conference.
“We need to create good build-up play, with easy passes in midfield, to achieve good passes for our strikers further up the pitch”, said Guardiola. I’m not sure if we’ve talked about him that much, but some people have very high hopes for his future and consider him to be a decent prospect.
“Normally I’m not a guy to say “you can’t eat that”, I don’t know what they eat normally”.
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Stones, who was called-up by the England national team for the Euro 2016 but did not play a single game, was acquired by the Toffees in January of 2013 from Football League Championship team Barnsley for only £3 million. “That’s why I want my players absolutely fit”.
