JUST IN: Pep Guardiola replies positively to concerns regarding French star player and Manchester City signing links.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered a positive response to questions on Kylian Mbappe during a press conference this week.
Reports emerging from Spain over the weekend linked the Premier League champions with unofficial conversations with members of Kylian Mbappe’s entourage in Manchester, after it was announced last week that he would be leaving the French capital on a free transfer.
Mbappe is understood to have made Paris Saint-Germain aware of his intentions, sparking a media frenzy around his future and particularly transfer interest from Real Madrid. However, that has not stopped City from being tied to the player tenuously.
Unsurprisingly, the media have taken the first opportunity to quiz Manchester City’s manager on reports but instead asking for his verdict on Kylian Mbappe as a player, to which he has responded with high praise.
Addressing the media on Monday afternoon ahead of Manchester City’s meeting with Brentford in the Premier League on Tuesday night, Pep Guardiola was asked for his thoughts on Kylian Mbappe amid recent transfer rumours concerning the Frenchman.
“I think he is quite good,” Pep Guardiola joked in response. “He has a future,” he continued
It will come as no surprise to many to see Pep Guardiola offering no attention to the subject of transfer rumours around the France international, given his approach to previous questions around potential Manchester City transfer targets.
The City boss remained tight-lipped throughout the duration of the Erling Haaland transfer saga back in 2021 and 2022, and only commented on the Norwegian in relation to the Etihad club when it was officially announced that an agreement had been reached.
For now, Real Madrid are likely to remain at the front of the race for Kylian Mbappe, and there is every chance Los Blancos become the only club to establish themselves as serious suitors for the 25-year-old given the finances and the player’s desires to operate in the Spanish capital
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I was training with the best team in the world at Man City, now I’m frustrated and gutted
Kalvin Phillips has endured a torrid time since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester City in January, with the midfielder sent off in the 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest
Troubled Kalvin Phillips is hopeful that one of the toughest spells in his career is coming to an end. The Manchester City midfielder has been hit by a succession of bad luck and poor performances since moving on loan to West Ham United last month.
The midfielder hopes to turn around his troublesome start at the London Stadium. Following some missteps against Bournemouth and Manchester United, he was sent off against Nottingham Forest after earning two quick yellows.
He had hoped the move would be a fresh start. “They say bad luck comes in threes, so let’s hope I’ve had my three pieces of it and I can kick on now,” he said.
“I wanted this to be a fresh start, to really get my head down and go for it. It’s not gone as I would have hoped. Everyone can see that.
“But I know football. I’m experienced enough to know that if I get my head down and grit my teeth and do the basics right that things will turn. It’s easy to say, but now I’ve got to do it.”
Phillips has struggled to get up to speed in the Premier League after barely playing for City over the last 12 months. Shedding light on the importance of game practice for performance levels, he said: “There are certain things you need to do on a football pitch. OK, I was training with the best team in the world, but games get you sharper.
“You can train all you like but you are never going to really get match fit and match sharp unless you play games, do you? So, that’s the reason I’m frustrated and gutted.”
Phillips was visibly upset after getting two yellow cards in their game against Forest. West Ham were trailing to Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half opener when Phillips picked up two quick bookings in the second half, the first for grappling with Nicolas Dominguez and then fouling Morgan Gibbs-White.
He tried to speak to referee Thomas Bramall after the game, but left the City Ground frustrated.
“I’m annoyed with myself over the first booking. He’s got my shoulder and I’ve tried to push him off perhaps next time I should kick the ball at him to make my point,” he said.
“I was frustrated and we were losing. But it’s something I’ll learn from.
“With the second, I’ve not made any contact with Morgan (Gibbs-White). He’s jumped up and that’s fair enough but honestly I didn’t make any contact.
“I’ve waited outside the referee’s room to have a chat with him. I wanted to have a word but it’s been half an hour now and he’s not come out. I don’t know if he knows I was there or not. I didn’t want to batter him. I just wanted to have a conversation with him about it.”
“But it looks like I’m going home now without saying my piece and I’m just disappointed more so because I’m working hard to get myself back into a position where I can help and now I’ve got to miss a game.”
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