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Guardiola poised to splash the cash during the off-season

The Manchester City manager claims at least three positions within his squad require strengthening.

Pep Guardiola has indicated Manchester City could launch a spending spree this summer.

The Premier League champions are bidding to win an unprecedented quadruple this season but thought is already being given to how they could bolster their star-studded squad.

Previously, Guardiola has expressed satisfaction with his group but now it seems some areas have been identified for improvement.

Southampton v Manchester City – Premier League – St Mary's Stadium
Guardiola is considering which players to sign during the summer.  (Adam Davy/PA)

Speaking at a press conference, the City manager said: "There are three or four positions I think we have to try to look for, and some ideas we have.

"You know we are going to try for a holding midfielder, and other positions we are thinking about. I'm not going to tell you which positions, I don't want to tell you the players. You have your sources."

Guardiola did confirm, however, that left-back is one of the positions being looked at.

Benjamin Mendy has endured two injury-ravaged seasons since joining City from Monaco, forcing Guardiola to use Fabian Delph, Oleksandr Zinchenko or Aymeric Laporte as makeshift options.

Guardiola concedes there is a fear Mendy, who has been hampered by knee problems, could endure further issues next term.

He said: "I don't know what's going to happen but we are thinking about the chance to find somebody in that position.

Manchester City v Burnley – Premier League – Etihad Stadium
Mendy has struggled with injuries for the last two seasons. (Martin Rickett/PA)

"If it happens in two seasons, it can happen three, definitely. Hopefully not, we'll work with that, he's working with that but the truth is we could use him for a few games. That is the reality.

"At the end the strongest guys, every day, are there. That is the truth. That's why we are looking for, maybe, you know, for next season."

Mendy underwent knee surgery in November and has not played since his comeback match at Burton on January 23 after suffering a reaction.

The 24-year-old Frenchman was on the bench for the midweek victory over West Ham but Guardiola says he is still "not fit".

"I didn't have many players," explained Guardiola. "In the last moment Fabian woke up with a problem in his leg. Philippe Sandler and Mendy were there, we brought them to the bench, but still he (Mendy) is not perfect."

Guardiola has also revealed the club still have work to do to secure the long-term services of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

The German, whose current deal expires in 2020, is a key part of Guardiola's plans but has never been an automatic starter.

Guardiola said: "He is an incredibly important player. He knows what we want, he knows what we think about him, but it's the same as other cases like we said in the past, at the end the last decision is not in our hands.

Manchester City v Manchester United – Premier League – Etihad Stadium
Guardiola is eager to keep hold of Gundogan (Nick Potts/PA)

"We try to speak with him, we want him to extend the contract right now. Yesterday would have been better than today, and today better than tomorrow. But if he doesn't want to, we cannot do anything else.

"If he was 100 per cent then the deal would have been done, so we are still in negotiations."

Guardiola does not expect there to be any issues, from the club's point of view, in renewing terms with long-serving captain Vincent Kompany.

The influential defender, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has had recurring injury problems in recent years but Guardiola insists that will not influence the club's decision.

He said: "I think that will not be the reason for Vincent staying one or two more years or not."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CManchester CityMan City38287396346291
2Arsenal38285591296289
3Liverpool382410486414582
4Aston Villa382081076611568
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs382061274611366
6Chelsea381891177631463
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle381861485622360
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd38186145758-160
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham381410146074-1452
10Crystal Palace381310155758-149
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton381212145562-748
12Bournemouth38139165467-1348
13Fulham38138175561-647
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves38137185065-1546
15Everton38139164051-1140
16Brentford38109195665-939
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3899204967-1832
RLuton TownLuton3868245285-3326
RBurnley3859244178-3724
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd38372835104-6916


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