Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City will not be signing a like-for-like replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who joined the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference during the club’s pre-season tour of South Korea on Saturday, the Manchester City manager added that the summer spending of Saudi Pro League clubs has “changed the market.”
“We are not looking for a replacement of Riyad in terms of skill because every player is different,” Guardiola said after Mahrez, who won four Premier League titles at City, departed for a £30m fee. “We will see what happens with loan players, and which players stay here. A few things are going to happen.”
“Saudi Arabia has changed the market,” Guardiola added. “A few months ago when Cristiano [Ronaldo] was the only one to go, no one thought this many top, top players would play in the Saudi league.
“In the future there will be more and that’s why clubs need to be aware of what is happening. Riyad got an incredible offer [from Al-Ahli] and that’s why we could not say ‘don’t do it’.”
Mahrez was the second departure from City’s treble-winning side this summer following Ilkay Gündogan’s move to Barcelona on a free transfer. The former Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic is their only signing so far, and full-back Kyle Walker has been linked with a potential move to Bayern Munich.
In other news, Nathan Aké has extended his City contract to 2027, adding a further two years to his previous deal. The centre-back was a key part of City’s historic 2022-23 campaign, making 41 appearances in all competitions.
“This is the best club in the world, I have no doubts about that,” Aké said. “Being a Manchester City player makes me incredibly proud every single day. It’s a football club that expects excellence in every area … it drives me on and makes me better. I want to keep developing, and I can definitely do that here.
“Pep is the best manager in football – a genius who has made me see the game differently – so to be able to work with him for longer is a real privilege,” the 28-year-old added.
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, said: “We have been delighted with Nathan’s development, so it’s great news he is extending his time with us. There is no doubt he was a very important part of our treble success last season, but I believe he can be even better.”
The team’s pre-season tour continues on Sunday with a friendly against Atlético Madrid in Seoul. City beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a pre-season game in Tokyo on Wednesday, and play Arsenal in the Community Shield next Sunday.
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