PEP TO REBUILD BLUES

PEP Guardiola is unsure whether club legends Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho will stay beyond next summer – but the City boss is committed to a rebuild of the squad which will begin this summer.

The departures of David Silva, Claudio Bravo and Leroy Sane this year, just 12 months after Vincent Kompany departed, has continued the break-up of the sensational squad which won successive Premier League titles.

But by next summer Aguero – the biggest name of all – will be 33, while midfielder Fernandinho will be 36. Both will be out of contract unless they agree new terms.

Guardiola also hinted that City will be seeking to replace Silva. It had been expected that the development of Phil Foden, plus the signing of Bernardo Silva, would cover for the departing Spaniard.

Guardiola said the rebuild is all about keeping up squad numbers rather than improving the standard of players.

“It’s not for the lack of quality but for the absence of Vinny and David,” he said. “Dinho and Sergio have one year left, but I don’t know if they will extend or not. Some players have to be replaced. But it’s not a disaster thing, or bad thing, it’s part of football for the age, for the normal situation.

“It happens in other clubs and players who are considered important players for the club decide to leave. We cannot do anything if guys don’t want to stay. This is the first thing, and the second is with the age. But it happened and we have to rebuild it. It happens at clubs around the world, you never can be eternal, and we have to accept it.”