Pep Guardiola gives Manchester City quit ultimatum after beating Bournemouth in Premier League: 'You don't make a shorter squad, I won't stay'
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Published 21/05/2025 at 09:32 GMT+1
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has threatened to leave if he doesn't see a reduction in squad size next season. "You don't make a shorter squad, I won't stay," he said, following a 3-1 win at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League. The win puts City in a commanding position to qualify for Champions League football, as Kevin De Bruyne played his last ever home game for the club.
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Pep Guardiola has warned he will quit as manager of Manchester City unless the size of his squad is reduced next season.
The Spaniard voiced his frustration at having to leave out several first-team players from the 20-man matchday squad on Tuesday night.
Rico Lewis, Savinho, James McAtee and Abdukodir Khusano were not included, as City beat Bournemouth 3-1 in the Premier League to keep alive their hopes of Champions League football next season.
"I said to the club, I don’t want that," Guardiola told journalists afterwards.
"I don’t want to keep five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. You don’t make a shorter squad, I won’t stay."
City’s strength in depth has been a defining characteristic in recent years. Their ability to rotate players and field replacements of the highest quality has been the envy of many Premier League sides.
However, disaster struck earlier this season when several key figures were sidelined due to injury, leading the club to splash out roughly £200m in the January transfer window.
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But with those players now returning to fitness, including Ballon d’Or winner Rodri who played last night for the first time since September, the squad is full to the brim, leaving Guardiola with some tough decisions.
"It’s impossible for my soul to give the players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play," he added.
"As a manager, I cannot be training 24 players and every time we’re selecting it has to be four, five or six players staying in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen."
His squad will naturally start to diminish at the end of this campaign, with club legend Kevin De Bruyne on his way out.
The 33-year-old was not offered a new deal and on Wednesday played his last ever home game for City.
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There is also speculation over the future of Jack Grealish, who has struggled to get regular game time this season after winning three successive Premier League titles under Guardiola.
Champions League football next season does look likely for City, who are in a commanding position to secure a top-five league finish.
They are third on 68 points going into Sunday’s final match of the 2024/25 campaign , two ahead of sixth-placed Aston Villa.
Their last game is away at mid-table Fulham, who they thrashed 5–1 at the Etihad Stadium back in September.
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