I’ve more power than I’ve ever had

was brought in to take City to the next level after his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini guided them to the Champions League semi-finals last season. But ahead of the clash with top-four rivals Liverpool tomorrow, he insists he does not feel his job is under threat at this stage.

“I have more power than ever in my life as a manager,” he said. “It will take more time to build the team I want. At Barca and Bayern, for many reasons, the teams were closer to what I wanted. But I want to show people Pep can be successful in England. It’s a big challenge and I want to prove to myself I can do it. I received a text message from the chairman the day after the Monaco game. What was his reaction? What do you think?

“Of course, he prefers to win the Champions League. He was not there but he is always close. He is always there for me and the team, he understands.”

Guardiola spent more than £150million on his arrival last summer but has been promised another huge war chest to revamp his squad at the end of the season.

“I met the Sheikh in Abu Dhabi last month and I know the plan,” he said. “The club took a big step seven years ago and we’re thinking of getting better.

“Changes are going to happen and I want to be involved in that as much as possible to help the team to make the next step.”

It looks like Guardiola will be parting company with out-of-contract Yaya Toure after the Ivory Coast midfielder’s agent, Dimitry Seluk, said he has opened talks with several clubs.

Seluk has not ruled out a controversial switch by Toure, above, across Manchester to Old Trafford and said there was also interest from Italy and Spain.

He said: “From yesterday we officially started negotiating with different clubs about his future. We waited until March 15 to see what City will say but until now City have said nothing.

“We cannot wait until the last minute, until June, to start negotiations with clubs.”

Meanwhile, Vincent Kompany’s hopes of reclaiming his place in the City team have been hit by Belgium boss Roberto Martinez’s decision to leave him out of the squad for their upcoming games against Greece and Russia.

Guardiola hoped his injury-plagued defender would get some game-time for his country to boost his fitness.

He says a decision on the future of Kompany, who is 31 next month, will be taken at the end of the season, along with a number of other players.