Guardiola fumes over Alves snub

PEP GUARDIOLA has been left stunned and angered by Dani Alves’ decision to reject Manchester City in favour of a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Barcelona and Juventus fullback was fully expected to sign for the Premier League side and, even after meeting Guardiola last week, had City convinced that he would be turning out in sky blue next season.

But a bumper offer from the Parisians’ new sporting director Antero Henrique has turned Alves’ head and the Brazilian will, pending a medical, hook up with PSG boss Unai Emery, who is well aware of the right-back’s talents from his time in Spain.

Manchester City have had something of a clearout in defence this summer, releasing two right-backs in Pablo Zabaleta (now at West Ham) and Bacary Sagna (unattached) as well as leftback Gael Clichy.

Eliaquim Mangala will also leave the club as Guardiola looks to retool his backline in his image, but Dani Alves was earmarked for one of the rightback spots as they negotiated with Tottenham over the transfer of Kyle Walker.

Spurs have no need to sell the England international for anything below their £50m asking price, and their negotiating position has been strengthened by Alves’ decision to turn his back on his former Barcelona coach.

Walker will still, in all likelihood, leave White Hart Lane after alate-season fallout with Mauricio Pochettino but with Dani Alves’ transfer falling through, Pep Guardiola just found himself with no rightbacks, a harder deal for his top target and short of a generationally elite player that he thought he had secured. – The Independent