Pep Guardiola Threatens to Quit Manchester City Over Squad Size Concerns | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola Warns Manchester City: Slim Down or I Quit

Guardiola Draws a Line in the Sand

There’s rarely quiet around Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola has once again ensured the summer will be anything but. Following City’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth, the Catalan delivered a stunning statement of intent—not about tactics or trophies, but about soul.

“I said to the club I don’t want that [a bigger squad],” Guardiola said. “I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”

This isn’t bluster. Guardiola has always been obsessive about control and unity. Now, he’s pushing back against what he sees as a bloated squad disrupting the team’s cohesion, connection, and spirit.

Trophyless Season Prompts Reset

It’s been a rare season of reflection at the Etihad. No silverware sits on the shelves this term. An early Champions League exit to Real Madrid, a League Cup defeat to Tottenham, and most recently a stunning FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace have left the campaign hollow.

Despite sitting third in the Premier League and securing Champions League football, the feeling is unmistakable—something isn’t right.

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City’s lavish spending, including over £170 million in January on Khusanov, Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Vitor Reis, was supposed to be a fix. Instead, it brought disruption, imbalance, and the emotional weight Guardiola has always tried to avoid.

“As a manager, I cannot train 24 players and every time I select I have to have four, five, six, stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play,” he explained. “This is not going to happen. I said to the club I don’t want that.”

Youth Over Depth

Guardiola’s frustration reached boiling point when he had to leave out the likes of James McAtee, Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho and Claudio Echeverri from his matchday squad. For a manager who builds around relationships and trust, those decisions cut deep.

“If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy and we do it,” he added. “[We] cannot sustain for the emotion of the club, the soul of the team, [to] create another connection with each other that this season we lost it a bit.”

That’s Guardiola at his most philosophical. City’s future, he believes, is not just about depth charts or transfer windows. It’s about maintaining what he calls the “soul” of the club.

Big Names Could Depart

With Kevin De Bruyne’s farewell already confirmed, there may be more high-profile departures to come. Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Ederson, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are all names being considered for potential exits. James McAtee is wanted by both Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, while Ederson could head for Saudi Arabia.

City’s willingness to reset will be tested—not just financially but culturally. Whether Guardiola’s message lands or gets lost in the club’s pursuit of power will determine if he stays beyond this summer.