With the high-profile arrivals of Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo in January, City are widely regarded to have had a stellar transfer window last month.
But asked if it was Pep himself who convinced the pair to sign for the Blues, the boss says it is more about the player having a gut feeling that they are making the right choice.
“I can tell them all the big things I believe the club has but they have to feel it,” said Pep.
“[They should] speak with the players or club, sleep with your pillow, [they] have to be convinced - and don’t come if you don’t feel it.
“See the club, how we play as a team - I say what I truly believe, I won’t say what the club is not.
“Good in [certain] things and can be better [in others]. The perspective we have to be better and still be up there as long as possible and try to compete and all managers with the players.
“The final decision is with the players - decide yourself not their agent or parents. If you want to play with us, that’s all.”
With Guéhi widely reported to have been close to a summer move to Liverpool, the City boss was asked whether the club had been interested in signing him before his move to the Etihad.
But Guardiola says last summer, he had more than enough defensive options to make recruitment in that area a low priority.
He said: “No, in that moment we had six or seven centre-backs. Manu couldn’t stay with us and left with Inter.
“At that moment we had enough, but after the situation with John, Nathan and Josko right now – it was the same with Manu at Dortmund at £15million and the result was incredible.
“We had a lot of problems for John and Nathan and have incredible problems with Josko and Ruben for long injuries – so we are in big trouble for most part of the season.
“We had the opportunity and was grateful to Marc to join us, he could have stayed at Palace and gone wherever as a free agent.
“Together, Hugo and Ferran make an incredible job to convince him to come.”
Celebrate Lunar New Year at City v Fulham!
As our closest home Premier League game to Lunar New Year, we’ll have plenty of celebrations as City welcome Fulham to the Etihad Stadium.
Kick-off is at 19:30 (UK) on Wednesday 11 February but there’ll be lots to see and enjoy before the action gets under way on the evening.
Tickets for this game are now on general sale, starting at £30 for adults and £15 for Under 18s. You can get three per person here!
And if you choose to make it a special evening in one of our hospitality areas, there’ll be even more to enjoy on top of elite football on the pitch!
Prices start from £180, while there’s an offer available when booking in the Legends Lounge or a Platinum Box experience - contact the sales team or enter the code Fulham%20 at checkout to access.
