'I will quit': Pep Guardiola makes shock claim over squad size

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he will 'quit' if the club don't reduce the size of his squad over the summer.

There were a number of notable absentees from City's matchday squad for their 3-1 win over Bournemouth with Guardiola expressing his discontent over so many players having to miss out.

I don't want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don't want that. I will quit.

Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri and Rico Lewis were all left out by the Spaniard on Tuesday night.

He continued: "Make a shorter squad, I will stay.

"It's impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play.

"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."

Manchester City splashed north of £200m in January alone with Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez - who both scored against Bournemouth - arriving for at least £50m each.

Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah were also involved in the spending spree.

20-year-old Uzbekistan international Khusanov has not played a single minute for the club since March after initially starting six of the first seven Premier League games after his arrival.

There were positives on the pitch for City, however.

Victory against Bournemouth put them on the verge of UEFA Champions League qualification next season with the Citizens needing a single point from their final game.

They face Fulham at Craven Cottage with Marco Silva's side seemingly playing for pride after falling short of any European qualification.

Kevin De Bruyne was subbed off on his final Etihad appearance.

The Belgian playmaker announced in April that he would leave after nearly a decade at the club with his next destination still undecided.

William Dobbie

• Manchester City F.C.
• Premier League
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