Pep Guardiola snaps at Declan Rice question after missing out on Arsenal star
Pep Guardiola has claimed Manchester City would have been attacked for spending over £100million on Declan Rice.
But as his City stars face the Arsenal and England midfielder at The Emirates today, Guardiola has admitted for the first time that he really wanted the “exceptional” 24-year-old star - and pushed as far as he could to land him.
City went to £90m before pulling out of the race for the West Ham midfielder who eventually joined Arsenal for a club record £105m fee. “Everyone knows we wanted him, we could play him when Rodri could not play," said Guardiola, who will be without his own brilliant midfield pivot today as he sits out the final match of a three-game ban.
“But in the end Arsenal pushed more, wanted him or maybe Mikel was more convincing than me, or the club itself. The offer they got we could not reach it because we thought about Josko Gvardiol in that position and we could not afford to pay that much. That is why.
“Normally when City spend this amount of money it is crazy. When others spend it , then it is how smart they are. That happens. But I am not denying anyone can do whatever they want. I never judge what the others do.
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“We are judged all the time, but it is fine. If we were in the middle of the table that wouldn’t happen, we would not be a problem or under scrutiny from the rest.
“But Arsenal believed they had to do it. That is more than fine. They have lost important players but now their recruitment is really good and they have a young squad for many years.
Declan Rice was a target for Man City, before signing for Arsenal (Getty Images)“So the perspective for many now is that they will be there for a long time. Declan Rice is an exceptional holding midfielder with the national team, so he is an exceptional player.”
With Rodri absent in North London, Mikel Arteta is hopeful that his record signing can make a serious impact in what is being billed as an early title tussle.
“We know what Rodri does,” said Arteta. "Everyone has described him as one of the best holding midfielders in the world, if not the best. There’s no doubt about that.
“But I am extremely pleased with Declan. He can occupy different positions but I think he has been really really good as a holding midfielder. And, yes, he has the qualities, the presence, the communication and the understanding to be a top, top player for us in that position.
“When you pay that sum of money you hope that they adapt really quickly. But there are certain things that are very different. But overall he has adapted really fast.”
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