“Come on! I was clear” – Pep Guardiola responds to Omar Marmoush transfer links and Manchester City’s January business | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has finally been granted an opportunity to comment on a frantic few days in media reports concerning Manchester City’s January transfer activity.

The Premier League champions have been strongly linked with intensified pursuits of up to three new signings in the coming days and weeks, with expected arrivals in the centre of defence and in attacking positions.

Among the names to have been most strongly linked with big-money transfers to the Etihad Stadium this month are centre-back profiles in Palmeiras’ 18-year-old talent, Vitor Reis and Lens and Uzbekistan star, Abdukodir Khusanov.

Further forward on the pitch and City are believed to be pursuing a move for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, with some reports suggesting that a verbal agreement over personal terms with the 25-year-old has already been reached.

Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup third round tie against Salford City on Saturday evening, Pep Guardiola was quizzed on both reports surrounding the club’s January business, as well as claims of intensified interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush.

“Don’t ask me about that because I’m not going [to answer]. All month you’re going to ask the same about all we are linked with in the media, so I’m not going to talk. You can insist, I’m not going to answer because I don’t know the situation,” Guardiola said.

“We know we should not go to the transfer window, I don’t like much. The situation that’s happened this season with many, many, many injuries, we have to try to do it because the situation is what it is. But what happens, I’m not going to talk because I don’t know.”

The City boss continued, “Of course I have conversations with the club but the process and what’s happening, I don’t know what’s going to happen because it’s so difficult. And what is going to happen is going to happen, otherwise I cannot say anything else.”

Pressed further for thoughts and insight on transfer business, the name of Omar Marmoush was particularly put forward to Pep Guardiola, who hit back, “Listen, was I not clear in my answer? Come on! I was clear in my answer; I’m not going to talk.

“He’s a player from another club, I’m not saying an answer. You can say in every single press conference to talk about the transfer window until the end, I’m not going to answer one question! Don’t go in that way! In the past, the same happened. I was clear, right?

“You can try it any time you want, no problem at all, but you know my answer.”

For the time being, Pep Guardiola’s firm focus will be on the challenges that remain on the pitch as Manchester City look to recover from a slump throughout November and December and bring some fine form back to their results during the second-half of the season.

First up in that run of fixtures that immediately face City is Salford in the FA Cup third round at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening, before Premier League away trips to Brentford and Ipswich Town are accompanied by a home meeting with Chelsea and European clashes.