Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says players “deserve to choose where they want to play” after a busy summer of departures at the Etihad.
Guardiola was asked on Friday about his club’s decision to sell players to their direct rivals, after a summer that saw Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko depart for Arsenal and Raheem Sterling for Chelsea.
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Arsenal lead Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, with Chelsea sat fifth.
Guardiola said: “Every player is different. I think for a point of view the guys gave us what they gave us, like (Sterling, Zinchenko and Jesus).
“What they gave us, they deserve to choose where they want to play. If they don’t want to go to Arsenal or Chelsea they would stay here. But if they stay here, why do we have to say you cannot be there?
“All the people they care about, their family. They believe it’s not enough, who are we to say to their family you cannot go there? I don’t like it.
“If Arsenal are stronger it’s okay, they arrive in agreement with the club, transfer with the club, everyone is happy.
“Thanks to them we are where we are right now. Before with Joe Hart, David Silva, (Vincent) Kompany, (Sergio) Aguero, thanks to them we are who we are. This is a process like families. Grandfathers, fathers, sons, daughters, it’s the same.”
Of the players that left this summer, Jesus in particular has made an immediate impact. The forward has scored five goals and added three assists in 11 Premier League matches for Arsenal, who lead City by two points for first place.
City’s decision to sell players to other members of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ broke from their recent behaviour.
Before this past summer, the last time the club allowed a prominent player to join another ‘Big Six’ side, other than on a free transfer, was ten years ago.
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