Soccer

Pep Guardiola rules out any more summer signings for Man City

Addition of Portugal centre-half Ruben Dias for €72m set to be City’s last bit of business

Ruben Dias looks likely to be Manchester City’s last summer signing. Photograph: Manuel De Almeida/EPA

Thu Oct 1 2020 - 11:53

Pep Guardiola is not expecting to make any more additions to his Manchester City squad before next week's transfer deadline.

The City manager insists further signings have not been ruled out but this week's club-record deal for defender Ruben Dias looks to be the last for the time being.

Dias joined City from Benfica on Tuesday in a deal worth £62million (€72m) plus a potential £3.2million in add-ons.

His signing followed those of fellow defender Nathan Ake and winger Ferran Torres earlier in the summer for £40million (€46.5m) and £20million (€23.2m)respectively.

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“I think it will be over,” said Guardiola, whose side eased into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday.

“I don’t know — maybe someone will want to leave. So we will see what happens until the end.”

The arrival of Dias, soon after bringing in Ake from Bournemouth, ends City’s long search for central defensive reinforcements.

City's lack of depth in the position last season, following the departure of Vincent Kompany and injury to Aymeric Laporte, proved costly as they failed to mount a strong title challenge to Liverpool.

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uardiola is confident Portugal international Dias, 23, will prove a huge success at the club.

He said: “We know his personality and I’m pretty sure he will be an incredible player for this club for the next five, six, seven years.

“He will start on Thursday to train with us and we’ll try to get him ready as quickly as possible to play in the games.”

As Dias came in, Nicolas Otamendi moved in the opposite direction, joining Benfica for "13.6million.

Guardiola paid tribute to the 32-year-old.

He said: “He was part of the incredible success we had and the consistency of the last years. If Nico had an ankle broken he was ready to play.

“He is an incredibly nice guy and the season when we won the Premier League with 100 points he was the key player for us in the back four. He helped us incredibly.

“We felt we need to put a young squad (together), we arrived with a lot of players more than 30, but my absolute gratitude is for what he has done for this club, especially for me as a manager.

“He will always be part of my best memories in Manchester.”

Dias was not involved as City bounced back from their weekend loss to Leicester by brushing past Burnley at Turf Moor.

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