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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola does not want a big squad next season(Image: Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola has claimed he could quit as Manchester City boss if he is given too big a squad next season because he cannot bear to leave a large number of fit players out.

The outgoing Premier League champions are expected to be busy in the transfer market after losing their crown to Liverpool.

The Etihad outfit need to rebuild an ageing team with several senior players candidates to follow Kevin De Bruyne out of the door after the Belgian played his final home game for the club in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth.

After a season when injuries have hit City hard and the pressure of the fixture schedule only continues to grow, getting the right balance of numbers looks a difficult one.

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But Guardiola, who has always preferred using a smaller group, said keeping things tight remained a priority for him.

“I said to the club I don’t want that (a bigger squad),” he said.

“I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer.

I don’t want that.

I said to the club I don’t want that.”

Despite the injury problems suffered this season - most notably the long-term absence of Rodri, who made his first appearance since September as a second-half substitute on Tuesday night - Guardiola said he would rather make up the numbers with academy players.

His assertion means City will have to trim numbers before bringing in any new faces in the summer transfer window.

“If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy and we do it,” said Guardiola.

“(We) cannot sustain for the emotion of the club, the soul of the team, (to) create another connection with each other that this season we lost it a bit.”

It was reported earlier this week that City have cooled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, who is wanted by new Premier League champions Liverpool and new Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Liverpool are on the verge of signing another Leverkusen player, attacking right-back Jeremie Frimpong, with a medical having taken place.

The Reds also look set to bolster their options at left-back with Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez one possible addition.

But it has been reported that Man City are also interested in the £45m-rated Hungary international.

City needed to beat Kerkez's Bournemouth on Tuesday to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League in their own hands - and a draw at Fulham on Sunday should now be enough to make sure.

Omar Marmoush opened the scoring with an outstanding strike and although De Bruyne missed an open goal, Bernardo Silva doubled the lead before the break.

After City’s Mateo Kovacic and Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook saw red in quick succession, Nico Gonzalez got a late third for the hosts before Daniel Jebbison’s stoppage-time consolation goal.

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Champions Liverpool and second-placed Arsenal have already confirmed their place in next season's Champions League.

City, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are battling it out for the three Premier League qualification spots going into the final round of fixtures on Sunday.


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