Pep Guardiola confirms commitment to youngsters as Julian Alvarez replacements
Posted By Joe E
August 11, 2024
10:31 am
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed the club’s plan to replace Julian Alvarez by handing more opportunities to existing young players.
The rather unexpected sale of Alvarez, who had grown frustrated by his status as a back-up across several positions for the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, will bring in more than £80m.
90min revealed last week that, rather than go out and spend the money on a replacement attacker, City would look to promote from within through talents like James McAtee and Oscar Bobb. Savinho has also already been brought in for around £34m from sister club Troyes.
Speaking after the Community Shield, which McAtee, Bobb, both 21, and fellow academy graduate Nico O’Reilly all started, Guardiola publicly stated that plan.
“They have the standards to be here,” the boss explained. “I’ve known it, especially for McAtee, for a long time ago and he played really good and Oscar we saw last season.
“They have the confidence, the squad adore them and can rely on them. Oscar made a fantastic game, like he has done all pre-season, and McAtee was what we want him to be.”
Guardiola also described 19-year-old O’Reilly as “so clever, so good”.
Oscar Bobb has played 27 times for Man City already / Marc Atkins/GettyImages
The Alvarez money is more likely to be spent on other areas of the squad, with midfield an area to strengthen if City are to maintain their Premier League dominance and get back on top in Europe.
90min understands that Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes is still of interest to the club. The former Lyon midfielder joined the Magpies in January 2022, in the early stages of the Saudi-led project, and has characterised their transformation from relegation fodder to European contention.
Speaking ahead of the Community Shield, Guardiola had said: “If we need someone the price [has to be right], otherwise it makes no sense. We will see the chances at the end of the market, if a club needs to sell more than now for example, so I don’t know. Maybe a holding midfielder who can play central defender or a central defender who can play in the position of Rodri.”
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