Man City Have Sustainable Model – Pep Guardiola Speaks Out

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola feels sadness at the recent exit of three star players but insists the club’s record transfer income this summer proves they are sustainable.

City sold Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal for £45m and £30m.

Raheem Sterling also departed for Chelsea for £50m as part of an overhaul at the Premier League champions.

The trio were part of all four title-winning campaigns under Guardiola since his arrival in Manchester in 2016.

Seven other players have been sold this summer, including goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia to Southampton.

“In part I’m a little bit sad that these important players have gone,” said Guardiola. “But it’s a business. To invest you have to sell players otherwise you can’t be sustainable.

“I know the image of the club is that always we buy, buy, buy. But we sell too. We sell important players for big money.

“All the clubs know today selling players is not easy. All clubs want to do it but not everyone can.”