Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has refused to say if he wants to sign Sergi Roberto from Barcelona, as quoted in Mundo Deportivo.
What’s the story?
Sport reported last month that Barcelona are interested in signing Aymeric Laporte from City.
The Spanish giants are willing to include Sergi Roberto in the deal.
Mundo Deportivo also reported last month that the 29-year-old is among the players Barcelona are willing to sell.
What Pep Guardiola has said
City manager Guardiola has not said whether or not he would like to sign the 29-year-old, who can play as a full-back or as a midfielder.
Mundo Deportivo quotes Guardiola as saying on TV3 about signing Sergi Roberto: “I will not answer these things. Sergi is a Barca player. All the Barca players and players in other great teams in the world are good, but Sergi is a Barca player and I will not respond to the question on television.”
Being respectful
Guardiola not discussing Sergi Roberto, who came through La Masia to establish himself in the Barcelona first team, shows the kind of person he is.
The former Barcelona boss knows that it is not respectful to discuss speculation about other players in public.
As a manager himself, Guardiola will know how other managers will feel if he starts talking about signing their players.
Sergi Roberto Stats
Sergi Roberto made nine starts and six substitute appearances in La Liga for Barcelona in 2020-21.
The full-back scored one goal and gave two assists in those games.
The 29-year-old also made two starts and one substitute appearance in the Champions League.
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