by Pep Guardiola turned down the option to significantly strengthen Manchester City when it was offered to him last summer and he wonders if it was a mistake.
City have won their last three matches, after just one victory in the previous 13 matches. A major factor in the loss of form was the number of injuries.
Last season, Guardiola guided City to a record fourth consecutive title. This convinced him to reject the option of Ferran Soriano, the chief executive, and Txiki Begiristain, the sporting director, to sign beyond Savinho, who cost £30.8m, and Ilkay Gündogan, whose free acquisition later in the window came as a surprise.
Related: Guardiola unsure if Kyle Walker will play for Manchester City again
Guardiola said: “This summer the club thought about doing it and I said: ‘No, I don’t want to sign.’ I count on the team and I want to stay with them Savinho has arrived – and Gündo has returned. [which] I didn’t expect it, but he came back. And I said, because I rely on these guys a lot and I always thought I could do it again, start again with these guys. But after the injuries – wow – maybe we should have done it, but you never know in this position.
“But I think the team is [still] really good and the team is really good. I had this feeling. The central defense is exceptional, the full-backs are exceptional, as are all the players we had. Otherwise, we will not be able to achieve what we have achieved.
In a rescue bid this season, City have agreed a deal to sign centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens for an initial fee of €40m (£33.5m) and are keen to bring in the striker from Eintracht Frankfurt Omar Marmoush and the 19-year-old player. Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis.
Reis can play at right-back, where City could soon be weakened after Guardiola revealed Kyle Walker had asked to explore a move abroad. The manager is confident that should the 34-year-old leave, City will have plenty of high-quality options in the position.
“Yeah [we do]” he said, adding in a self-deprecating tone: “I’m so smart. I am such a talented manager who knows how to find the right solution. Kyle is our player right now, that’s all. We therefore have the possibility [to keep]. What will happen, I don’t know.
Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Matheus Nunes filled this position, and Nico O’Reilly operated at left back against Salford.
