Pep Guardiola has said he has no regrets about not signing a new centre back despite Vincent Kompany’s injury worries ahead of Saturday’s pivotal game with Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola spent more than £200 million on new signings in the summer but missed out on West Brom defender Jonny Evans at the crucial end of the transfer window.
Kompany has been City’s most quality defender since coming back to the team but has suffered from persistent muscle injuries in recent seasons and suffered a calf strain playing for Belgium on international duty.
“We wanted [a centre back] but we were not able to get one, it wasn’t possible,” Guardiola told a news conference.
“Jonny Evans was an idea. My colleague Tony Pulis put a price that we couldn’t afford at that moment. I don’t know about the summer or next season, but now he’s a player for West Brom.
“We will survive. In the end we spent money, we sold players. We bought five players who cost around £35m each. It’s not a big issue because we sold a lot. We got money to invest again. I’m happy with the squad and we’ll move forward with that.”
“If Mangala had gone I’m pretty sure we would’ve bought a new one. Because he stayed it made no sense to buy another.”
“Vincent was fit, it was a comfortable game. You never know when it’s going to happen. It could happen here in a training session,” he said.
“It’s a pity for him and for us, because Vincent is helping us a lot with the long balls. He is a special player, he’s our captain. For many reasons he’s so important. You saw at our results in the last part of the season. And against Real and Tottenham in preseason. But what can we do?
“I’m not a guy to call national managers and tell them what to do. Seven or eight players were with Spain when I was at Barcelona. It’s their job, their business. They have to qualify for Russia.
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