Reduce The Squad Size Or I’ll Quit” – Pep Guardiola Warns

Pep Guardiola has delivered a firm ultimatum to Manchester City, threatening to leave his managerial post if the club does not reduce its squad size this summer. The Spanish coach cited the emotional toll of sidelining players each week, saying it’s “impossible for my soul” to leave so many out of the team.

Following City’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday—a game in which senior players like Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri, and Rico Lewis were left out of the 20-man squad—Guardiola made his frustrations clear.

“I said to the club I don’t want that [a bigger squad]. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay,” Guardiola said. “It’s impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play.”

Despite City climbing to third in the Premier League and closing in on Champions League qualification, Guardiola insists that the squad depth is more of a burden than a blessing.

“Maybe for three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players—we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After, people came back, but next season it cannot be like that,” he added. “As a manager, I cannot train 24 players and every time I select, I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don’t want that.”

Guardiola’s comments underscore his preference for a tighter, more manageable squad—a philosophy he believes is key to maintaining team harmony and ensuring all players feel valued.

Pep Guardiola has reiterated his demand for a reduced squad size at Manchester City, emphasizing that maintaining a large group of senior players is both emotionally draining and disruptive to team cohesion. His comments come in the wake of a lavish January transfer window in which City spent over £200 million on four players—Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis—while Claudio Echeverri also joined after completing a loan spell at River Plate.

Despite the influx of new signings, only Kevin De Bruyne has been confirmed to depart this summer. The future of Jack Grealish also remains uncertain, as the midfielder hasn’t started a Premier League game since April 2.

When asked if further departures are inevitable, Guardiola responded:
“It is a question for the club. I don’t want to have 24, 25, 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries—unlucky—we have some players from the academy and we do it.”

He stressed that the current squad size is unsustainable and undermines the unity within the team:
“It’s important for the soul of the team that the players create another connection with each other—that this season we lost a bit.”

Though Premier League rules allow for a 25-man squad plus unlimited under-21 players, City’s official website lists 28 senior players, along with four more out on loan. By comparison, other top clubs like Chelsea list 31 first-team players (and 21 on loan), while Wolves, Brighton, and Tottenham all report squads of 29 or more.

City’s squad size still surpasses that of their closest rivals. Arsenal list 24 players, while Liverpool, Aston Villa, Everton, and Nottingham Forest each maintain 25. Guardiola, who previously managed with just 20 senior players during the 2023–24 season, remains committed to working with a leaner group, citing both performance and morale as key reasons.

His position is clear: fewer players, deeper bonds, and a better-balanced squad—or he walks.

@bbcsport Pep Guardiola says he’ll quit if the club don’t reduce the size of Man City’s squad! 😳 #Football #PremierLeague #PepGuardiola #ManCity ♬ original sound – BBC Sport

Source: BBC