Guardiola: I Only Want Players Who Want To Play For Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he is not disappointed by Brahim Diaz joining Real Madrid as the youngster became the latest academy product to leave the club.

Diaz followed Jadon Sancho’s footsteps out of the club to seek first team football on the continent by signing a six year contract with Madrid, which the youngster has labelled a ‘dream move.’ Diaz joined the blues from Malaga in 2013, but has only made 15 first team appearances, and has seen his chances of first team football this season severely limited.

City manager Pep Guardiola said last month that he hoped to keep the youngster at the club, but when asked if he was disappointed that Diaz left he replied “no, but I wish him all the best.” And Guardiola hoped there would be no more departures from the club, but stated that he only wanted players who wanted to play for the blues. “Hopefully, other players won’t decide to move on. I don’t want people who don’t want to stay here, to be with us and achieve what we want to achieve. If players want to stay, the door is always open for them.”

City have been heavily criticised in the past for allowing young players to leave the club, which has led Guardiola to call for the creation of a second league that will give youngsters a chance to prove themselves before moving into the first team. “Create a good second league and you will see how many players make it to the Premier League,” he said. “Perhaps then managers in the Premier League will have more courage to play them.”