‘I respect the club, so I don’t go to war with them’

-ers in. We just are not in the same position as some of the other clubs. Until that changes, I keep working with the players we have. We try to maximise their abilities and if the club can do something in the market to help the team, we would want that.

“(Selling players) is two-way. Other clubs have to want the players. But it’s also very important that we can’t get too hung up on that.

“Of course I want to improve the squad, I want to develop the squad, I said that midway through last year, but if it’s difficult financially, I really respect the club, so I don’t go to war with them.

“It’s unfortunate. We have to do some work and if we can do that, then hopefully we can affect the squad because if we are going to compete anywhere near where we have been, then we need to be able to do that. If not, then it’s a different expectation.”

While there are more than six weeks left in the transfer window,

Rodgers admitted that whatever happens from now, City won’t be able to improve the squad to the level he had hoped. There are three weeks to go until the start of the Premier League season.

He added: “Hopefully we can improve the squad, but my honest opinion is that it’s not going to be the level I would have wanted. But that’s just unfortunate. It was also off the field as well. We wanted to reset some of our work off the field and we have started in that process, which is great, but of course I want the strongest squad possible.

“But if that’s not possible, then I will work with the players I have and we’ll continue to fight and work the very best we can.”