Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a stark ultimatum to club management, warning he would consider resigning if forced to work with an oversized squad next season.
The Spanish tactician made the dramatic declaration following City’s 3-1 Premier League victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday, where several first-team players were omitted from the matchday squad. Senior figures including Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri, and Rico Lewis all missed selection.
“I said to the club, I don’t want that. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad; I will stay,” Guardiola stated emphatically.
The 53-year-old explained his emotional struggle with squad management: “It’s impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play.”
Guardiola acknowledged this season’s injury challenges but insisted on changes: “Maybe three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players; we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After, people came back, but next season it cannot be like that.”
The City boss outlined his preferred working conditions: “As a manager I cannot train 24 players, and every time I select, I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don’t want that.”
City’s £200 million January investment brought in Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis, while Echeverri officially joined from River Plate after his loan spell. With Kevin De Bruyne’s summer exit confirmed and Jack Grealish’s future uncertain – having not started a league match since April 2 – Guardiola suggested more departures may be necessary.
When pressed about potential squad changes, the manager (contracted until 2027) deferred to club leadership: “It is a question for the club. I don’t want to have 24, 25, or 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy, and we do it.”
The comments come as City continue their Premier League title defense and Champions League campaign, with Guardiola clearly prioritizing squad harmony over depth ahead of next season.
