These players too expensive for us this season, says Guardiola

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has admitted that the club could not afford a new centre back this summer, ESPN reports.

The Premier League champions spent more than £120million on Rodri, Joao Cancelo and Angelino in the off season, but are facing a defensive crisis if Aymeric Laporte is ruled out with a knee injury.

City tried to replace Vincent Kompany with Harry Maguire, but were out-bid by Manchester United.

Guardiola has now said the money was not available to add a centre-back to his summer shopping list.

“We could not buy like the opponents.

“The club works incredibly well in all departments and sometimes we cannot afford it like other teams afford it and that is all.

“We pay a lot of money for a lot of players, that is why we have a depth of squad with huge quality but we cannot do, the club tell me, you have a limit, you cannot go forward.

“Maybe in the future but not now, you cannot do it. I say, ok, you cannot do it so we cannot do it so we are going with what we have,” Guardiola said.