Manchester City don't need another striker - Pep Guardiola | Sportsmonks
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Manchester City don’t need another striker – Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City do not need another striker after deciding against trying to sign Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez.

City had been favourites to sign the Arsenal striker but decided to pull the plug on any deal because they believed the package to sign him was too expensive.

Sergio Aguero is likely to start against Newcastle United on Saturday and Guardiola hopes to have Gabriel Jesus back in the next two weeks after making a quick recovery from a knee ligament injury.

'We have the two strikers and we do not need another one in that position,' Guardiola told a news conference. 'Other players can play there in different circumstances. To buy a striker who can only play there, that is not going to happen.

'[Raheem Sterling] can play there. He did at Old Trafford and in the United States in preseason. He showed me that he can handle that pressure without problems. He's more of a winger, No. 10, but we are not going to buy a striker.'

Sources told ESPNFC that City felt the whole deal too sign Sanchez was too expensive for a player who has just six months remaining on his contract.

The 29-year-old is expected to complete a move to Manchester United, with some reports suggesting the deal could be worth around £180 million with Sanchez receiving a salary of £14m a year after tax.

But Guardiola says he understands why clubs spend so heavily particularly after his near-£200m outlay in the summer to overhaul the City squad.

'We have spent a lot of money, I'm not denying it, because we had to change a lot of players because we were so old in terms of the players who in the past were amazing. That's why we did it,' he said.

'When Manchester United, Liverpool and the other clubs in Europe do what they do, I respect. I never say anything because they know the reality.

'It's true when Manchester City and the Abu Dhabi took over the team, in that period they spent a lot. But the most expensive player is Kevin De Bruyne and when you see now the reality, a lot of clubs spend much more for one or two players.

'We did the same for the amount of money for four, five or six players. In the end what we spent in the summer is quite similar to United, but they bought I think two or three players and we bought six or seven.

'Everyone decides what is best for their clubs and I'm not going to judge. Today if the managers are good or not good depends on the quality of the players and to compete with the other clubs in Europe, you need to buy players and today players who cost £30m are £60m. It is what it is. Hopefully it will be less, but it is what it is.'

Source: www.espnfc.com

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