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'IT NEVER ENDS'

Pep Guardiola insists he will never be satisfied with Manchester City squad… despite already spending £400m

City boss is close to sealing a club-record £57m swoop for Bilbao centre-back Aymeric Laporte

PEP GUARDIOLA admits he will never be satisfied with his squad as he prepares to spend another £57million on Aymeric Laporte.

A club-record deal for the Athletic Bilbao centre-back is expected to go through early next week with the Frenchman keen on a move.

Pep Guardiola says he we always be looking to improve his City squad
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Pep Guardiola says he we always be looking to improve his City squadCredit: PA:Empics Sport

That would take his spending in the 18 months he has been in charge to around the £450m mark.

City are also being linked with Shakhtar Donetsk's £50m-rated midfielder Fred - although that is more likely to be one for the summer.

Guardiola must be quietly content with the way his squad are doing - even without any new recruits - as they push for a quadruple.

A swoop for Laporte would mean he has signed players in every position since being appointed at the Etihad in summer 2016.

Aymeric Laporte is expected to sign for City next week
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 Aymeric Laporte is expected to sign for City next weekCredit: Getty
 Laporte in action with Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo
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Laporte in action with Real Madrid superstar Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty Images

Asked if he is close to getting his ideal squad, he said: "It is never near.

"If a player doesn't play regularly but they accept that position, maybe the next season they want to leave.

"The player might be at a top level in one season may not be in another. Maybe they don't accept not playing regularly.

"It never ends. It is always about trying to solve situations year by year. You have to look forward.

"You cannot think because you are doing something it is going to work for the next three years. That is a big mistake. That is not going to happen.

"In football, you are a good team, you are a champion. In a few months you are bottom even though you are doing the same things with the same players."

Who is Manchester City target Aymeric Laporte?
Bilbao made Man Utd scrap to clinch a deal for Ander Herrera
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Bilbao made Man Utd scrap to clinch a deal for Ander HerreraCredit: PA:Empics Sport

As Manchester United found out when they signed Ander Herrera, Bilbao do things differently when it comes to transfers.

The money must be deposited with the Spanish FA and that is unlikely to happen now until Monday.


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Pep said: "It's up to both clubs, I don't want to talk about that.

"You know to make deals is so difficult in terms of lawyers, the players and their managers, money. It's not the right place to talk about it."

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City are 12 points clear at the top of the Prem.. but Pep is still not satifiedCredit: EMPICS Sport
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