Though the summer transfer window still has almost a month to run and doesn’t officially close until September 1, it’s already proved a busy close season for the Premier League champions.
Four newcomers have arrived to bolster our squad in the exciting shape of Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Kalvin Phillips and Stefan Ortega Moreno.
Meanwhile, we have bid farewell to Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleks Zinchenko - four of the players who helped bring so much success to the Club over the past five years.
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Addressing the media at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League opener at West Ham, the City boss spoke about why the Club had opted to make the changes we have in terms of personnel this summer.
“It is a good question. Always I thought after five or six years together we need to change - changing the manager is an option, or changing a few players. Always,” Guardiola asserted.
“But at the same time I can tell you, for the personalities they have - Gabriel, Raheem, Oleks, Fernandinho - would they not be hungry if they stayed with us? Absolutely not. I know them.
“They would be the same guys that we know them.
“But, at the same time, sometimes it’s good to change to refresh everyone - the new players, the old players.
“And its normal the new players bring in new energy, new desires.
“But I don’t know [what’s going to happen].
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“You have to take decisions always. That’s why we are paid, and always the intention is to get better.
“If this transfer window didn’t happen the way it has happened and these four players were still here, I think we would be the same team with the same desire to do well.
“But it has happened and we are going to adapt the new ones and desire all the best for the guys that have left as all of them deserve it.”
Having won four Premier League titles in five years, City will set out in defence of our crown with a tough trip to the London Stadium to take on David Moyes’ Hammers on Sunday afternoon.
However, asked whether the Premier League was his overriding priority, the City boss was unequivocal in his response.
“The priority is West Ham. I don’t look too far ahead of that,” the City boss asserted.
“From day one, always that was my motto.
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“West Ham is the most important thing. Then, six days after, we play Bournemouth, then Newcastle, then Barcelona for an important friendly for an important person who has a disease and deserves this.
“(We take it) Step by step.
“And I have said many times, when a team in the last five years won four Carabao Cups it’s because every tournament is important.”
West Ham v City
In the UK, the game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, while fans living around the world can find out how they can tune in via the TV listings here, courtesy of livesoccertv.com.
You can also follow the game in our Matchday Centre on mancity.com and the official app, which includes minute by minute text updates from 14:30, whilst key moments will be covered on Twitter: @ManCity.
Our Matchday Live show begins one hour before kick-off and is available on all our digital platforms, including our Matchday Centre.
And, during the game, you can listen to live audio commentary in the Man City app.
Short highlights will be available to watch from 20:15, while CITY+ subscribers will also be able to enjoy every minute of the action in our full-match replay from midnight.
