Pep Guardiola denies Man City signings were made in case of transfer embargo

Pep Guardiola has dismissed suggestions Manchester City’s January spending spree was a pre-emptive strike against a possible future transfer embargo.

City made their first serious moves in a winter transfer window since signing Aymeric Laporte in 2018 as they splashed out £170million on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez before Monday’s deadline.

This has been widely interpreted as a response to an underwhelming first half of the season in which City have fallen behind in the Premier League title race and only just scraped into the Champions League play-offs.

Yet with a verdict expected in the coming months on the 115 charges City are facing over alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, the club may also have been trying to limit the impact of any punishment.

A transfer embargo is one of a number of sanctions they could face if found guilty, ranging from a fine to points deductions or even demotion. The club deny wrongdoing.

Guardiola feels City’s actions are incorrectly judged because of their owners’ wealth and their spending still does not match that of others.

He said: “I do not agree, but my words will not convince people that our attributes are (not) just being in a wealthy position.

“In the last five years, we are the last team in the top six for net-spend. Even after what we have spent in this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Arsenal, Tottenham, even from Liverpool.

“The reason why is we have sold a lot in the last seasons but, even with that, I know (people say about) this club, it is always ‘just about the money’.

“Respect the other ones but in one month I think there will be a verdict and a sentence and after we will see my opinion of what happened so far. Still, at the end, every club can do whatever they want.”

Gonzalez was the last of City’s new faces to arrive after completing a £49.9million switch from Porto on deadline day.

The 23-year-old Spaniard gives City a holding option they have sorely missed since linchpin Rodri was sidelined with a serious knee injury in September.

“He has to adapt to the Premier League,” said Guardiola, whose side face Leyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday. “I don’t know how long it will take but we’re really pleased that he’s here. He’s a player for many years.

“Hopefully next season Rodri will be back but, after an ACL (injury), playing 60-70 games like last seasons is always a risk.

“The first impact has been good but I will not put pressure on his shoulders to solve all the problems that we have. He has just come to help us to be a more stable team and to play better.”

Rodri has been retained in City’s Champions League squad for the remainder of the season, but Guardiola says that does not mean he is likely to play again this season, even though the player has expressed hope of doing so.

Guardiola said: “I would love to arrive in the latter stages of the Champions League and Rodri could help us but I will not put one second of pressure (on him).

“In my mind Rodri is for next season. He is not here. But, maybe, if he comes back earlier that would be good for us.”