Pep Guardiola admits Financial Fair Play rules forced first-team defender out on loan

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed if the club had the chance to sign Marc Guehi in the 2025 summer transfer window.

Guehi has made a strong start to life at the Etihad Stadium since arriving for £20 million from Crystal Palace in January, five months before his contract at Selhurst Park was due to expire.

The 25-year-old attracted widespread interest in January but Manchester City’s willingness to close a deal in January – rather than waiting to sign the defender for free this summer – saw Guehi join forces with Guardiola.

Liverpool came desperately close to signing Guehi from Crystal Palace last summer, with the England international learning midway through his medical at Anfield that the transfer had broken down at the eleventh hour.

Guehi was ineligible in Manchester City’s Carabao Cup semi-final return leg win over Newcastle United in midweek but is expected to return to the lineup against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday evening.

Previewing the monumental face-off with the reigning Premier League champions, Guardiola was asked whether the Blues could have signed the centre-half last summer – after Guehi’s Liverpool move fell apart.

“No – because in that moment we had six, seven central defenders. For one reason, that it was a little bit out of control; Manu (Manuel Akanji) could not stay with us and left to Inter Milan because Financial Fair Play (FFP) is there and we have to (balance) the numbers,” said Guardiola in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

“But in that moment, we had enough (defenders) – but after the situation happened; injuries for especially John (Stones) and Nathan (Ake), and after the big injuries for Josko (Gvardiol) right now and that’s why. Like what happened with Manu, when we went to (Borussia) Dortmund – an opportunity for £15 million – and look at the result; he was unbelievable!

“Manu was a player for the final of the Champions League (in 2023 against Inter Milan), player for the treble, quadruple (four Premier League titles in a row), (he) was an incredible player – playing in the middle, even playing holding midfielder with Rodri many times, playing right back.

“But that is not arriving from Dortmund and come here, now you play holding midfielder, now you play in central defender, back three, in the right back when Kyle (Walker) was not there. So it needs time and I know; I don’t ask them. All the managers, it’s a big mistake if we ask that and you don’t have to know, the fans and everyone.

“But the reality is here, so that’s why we need a little bit [of time] there and being with them, it’s a little bit the feeling, ‘Ah it’s pity!’ Just for nothing, just not exception and much, much better.

“When you miss in a thousand games lately in the six yard box, in penalty spots, again with the keeper one against one, like this, and we missed it, we said, ‘Wow, we’d have a little bit more points to be closer!’. But the margins in the Premier League, in the highest standards and high levels is that.

“Same in the (Santiago) Bernabeu (against Real Madrid), when we won, we played much, much worse than many, many games we played recently in the Premier League, was much better and when we won there, and here we draw, losing in Old Trafford. So sometimes it’s like that, you have to accept it.”

Guardiola and City must come away from Anfield with three points to stand any chance in the title race after Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points with a 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.