Guardiola admits FIFA plan will change City's transfer policy

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, Dec 1, 2018 (AFP) - Pep Guardiola says FIFA proposals designed to limit the number of players allowed to be loaned out to rival clubs will seriously alter Manchester City's business model.

City and Chelsea are among the Premier League teams who will be most seriously impacted by the proposals that, from 2020, clubs will only be allowed to have between six and eight players loaned out to other clubs.

At the moment, Chelsea have an astonishing 39 players on loan with rival clubs across Europe, while City have 28, one more than Wolves but nearly twice as many as any other Premier League club.

"We are going to adapt to the rules. The new rules are coming, we're going to see the situation about loan players and see what we can do," Guardiola told reporters.

"The club is going to adapt if FIFA decide to do that. If we cannot loan them, they are going to come back here.

"If we don't believe they are going to play, if we cannot loan them we are going to sell them. It's simple.

"We're going to see before they take the players where they are going to play, and if it is not possible to loan them we are not going to buy them."

The new measures could spark something of a fire sale at City over the next 18 months before the rules come into force in the summer of 2020.

Many City youngsters, from the under23 and academy squads, have been loaned out to 'sister' clubs who are part of the City Football Group that is spearheaded by Guardiola's Premier League champions.