Kylian Mbappe to Man City 'not going to happen', says Pep Guardiola

By Michael Kelleher

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says the club have no plans to buy PSG teenage star Kylian Mbappe.

Pep Guardiola has dismissed reports linking Manchester City with a move for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe.

Reports in the British media this week claimed Guardiola was willing to break the world transfer record to bring Mbappe to Manchester in January, with Raheem Sterling likely to be sold in order to finance the move.

Guardiola, however, was emphatic when asked about Mbappe at his press conference ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game against Hoffenheim.

"That is not going to happen," the Spaniard said. "Sometimes I don't understand where the news comes from.

"Manchester City don't have, and are not going to spend, the money that maybe Mbappe deserves, or PSG deserves.

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"Manchester City don't have, and are not going to spend, the money that maybe Mbappe deserves, or PSG deserves.."
Pep Guardiola

"PSG is not going to sell this kind of player to any other club in the world for the next years, I guess. So that is not going to happen.

"Mbappe is not going to come here and we are not going to swap Raheem [Sterling] or another top player that we have."

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City were defeated 2-1 at home by Lyon in their opening game in Champions League Group F and Guardiola admits that has put his side under pressure to get three points against Hoffenheim.

"We have five finals to qualify. In the Champions League we don't have time to lose a lot of games," Guardiola said.

"We missed the first one so we know the situation - five finals and tomorrow is the first one."

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It is a big week for City, who travel to Premier League title rivals Liverpool on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

They have a number of injury concerns, one of which is striker Sergio Aguero, who has been dealing with a foot injury.

The Argentine striker has travelled to Germany with the City squad and Guardiola says he is in contention to start.

When asked if he is prepared to risk Aguero with "such a big game" looming against Liverpool on Sunday, Guardiola replied: "Such a big game is tomorrow.

"So yes because the doctors and the physios said he is able. He is much better but still he has pain. Tomorrow we are going to decide if we play him or Gabriel [Jesus]."

Kevin De Bruyne trained with Manchester City on Monday as he steps up his recovery from his knee ligament injury.

Benjamin Mendy (foot) did not make the trip to Germany, while Fabian Delph also stayed behind, meaning Oleksandr Zinchenko is likely to feature at left back.

Guardiola is hopeful Mendy might recover in time for Sunday's trip to Anfield.

"The doctor said [Mendy] is much, much better," the City boss said.

Kevin De Bruyne is back in training after recovering from a knee ligament injury but Guardiola will not rush him back into action.

"Today was (De Bruyne's) first training session back with the team so we will see when he's ready to play," Guardiola said.

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