Pep: Some Man City players will be 'sad' if they stay

ATLANTA -- Pep Guardiola has suggested helium volition slim down his Manchester City squad earlier the extremity of the transportation model to debar having "sad" players adjacent season.

City person brought a 27-man squad to the U.S. -- including caller signings Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Marcus Bettinelli -- for the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mateo Kovacic would besides person been included earlier an Achilles wounded ruled him retired of the tournament.

Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips and James McAtee are among the players absent.

Guardiola said astatine the extremity of past play he would "quit" if helium was forced to enactment with a bloated squad.

And speaking up of City's crippled against Al Ain successful Atlanta connected Sunday, helium hinted that immoderate players volition person to leave.

"I would emotion to person the players that we person present each season," said Guardiola.

"I would emotion it. I don't person immoderate complaints astir the players, however they behave.

"The occupation is they volition beryllium unhappy during the season. They volition beryllium sad, they volition beryllium disappointed. I don't privation that. For maine it's not a problem.

"I person much enactment but I don't similar to beryllium six, 7 players -- conscionable successful case, nary injuries -- being astatine home. So I bash it that way.

"I bash that for them. So that's wherefore we person to spot what happens. We inactive person a agelong time, I would say, until the transportation model volition beryllium closed."

Guardiola has usually wanted to enactment with a squad of 20 outfield players and 3 goalkeepers. It would mean astatine slightest 3 of the players he's brought to the U.S. leaving earlier the Premier League kicks disconnected successful August.

He was asked specifically astir the aboriginal of Ilkay Gündogan, who sources person told ESPN is being chased by Galatasaray.

The 34-year-old midfielder has a twelvemonth near connected his declaration and faces added contention for his spot pursuing Rodri's instrumentality and Reijnders' accomplishment from Milan.

"I don't cognize anything," said Guardiola.

"I didn't talk with him, and if helium volition not beryllium portion [of the squad] helium would not beryllium here.

"But astatine the aforesaid time, we have, close now, a agelong squad, excessively galore players, truthful we cannot spell with 26, 27 players this play due to the fact that determination would beryllium much without playing, and measurement by measurement possibly a fewer players are going to move.

"But close now, Ilkay is perfectly portion of my caput and the team."