Pep open to squad tweaks to run a happy ship at City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is not done reshaping his squad and will discuss each of his players’ futures with them during the next two transfer windows, he said on Tuesday.

City recruited heavily in the close season, spending more than 200 million pounds ($265 million) as Guardiola turned his attention to the wide positions after strengthening central defense, attack and midfield the previous season.

Full backs Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker were brought in for a combined total of more than 100 million pounds before the start of the current campaign, along with right back Danilo, winger Bernardo Silva and goalkeeper Ederson.

These additions have resulted in others, including the likes of defender Eliaquim Mangala and midfielder Yaya Toure, having to be satisfied with a bit-part roles this season.

“We are going to rescale absolutely everything,” the Spaniard told a news conference ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League home game against Southampton. “Not just with Mangala, for everybody. The club is going to ask them if they are happy or if they are not. We always want players who want to stay here.”

City’s recruitment since Guardiola’s arrival has had the desired effect. City is eight points clear at the top of the league table, with players such as John Stones, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus all signed in the manager’s first season - having a huge impact.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out selling Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in the January transfer window “unless something unbelievable happens.”

Both players are out of contract in the summer and have been the subject of repeated speculation that they may leave, with Ozil a reported target for Manchester United and Barcelona, and Sanchez the subject of a failed bid from Manchester City last summer.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s game with Huddersfield Town, Wenger was asked whether he thought both would still be at the club when the January transfer window closes.

“Yes, of course,” he said. “In my head they stay until the end of the season, unless something unbelievable happens I don’t see that changes.” (Reuters)