Pep Guardiola has emphasized that Manchester City’s veteran players still have an important role to play in the club’s future as they attempt to rebuild following a challenging season. With the team’s Premier League title defence collapsing and their Champions League run ending at the hands of Real Madrid, City now only have the FA Cup left to compete for in terms of silverware.
Guardiola acknowledged that the club has faced criticism for not renewing its ageing squad more rapidly, despite winning six of the last seven Premier League titles. In response, City made four signings in the January transfer window — Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis — underlining the extent of the rebuild needed due to injuries and a dip in form from key players.
However, Guardiola made it clear that he still values his experienced players, particularly those over 30. “There are players here who are over 30, and they will be part of the future of this club,” he said. He highlighted that players such as Ilkay Gündogan (34) and Bernardo Silva (30), who still have contracts, will remain integral to the team, and he expects them to help the squad next season.
Guardiola stressed that the future success of Manchester City would require a balance between new signings and experienced players. “We cannot do it just with the new ones or just with the old ones. We have to be all together,” he added.
Ahead of their FA Cup fifth-round clash against Plymouth on Saturday, Guardiola warned against underestimating the Championship side, especially after their shock victory over Premier League leaders Liverpool in the previous round. He acknowledged the challenges of facing lower-league teams, noting, “What these teams do, they do really well. And if you are not ready, you are in trouble.”
City are looking to reach the FA Cup final for a third consecutive season and Guardiola is determined to see them progress. “We have a chance to reach the last eight of the FA Cup again, and we want to do it,” he said.
