Pep needs '3 exceptional' signings at Manchester City, says Xavi

Xavi urged Manchester City to support Pep Guardiola in the transfer window as he needs ‘just three exceptional’ signings to turn things around.

One Carabao Cup was all Guardiola had to show for following a below-par campaign. Manchester City not only surrendered their FA Cup title but lost their Premier League crown by an 18-point deficit to Liverpool.

Last weekend’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Lyon was perhaps rock bottom for Pep.

After overcoming Real Madrid so cunningly in the previous round, City were favorites to win the competition for the first time. Lyon, though, had other ideas and defeated them 3-1.

Following this setback, Guardiola has been the subject of backlash. The normally revered Catalan has found his future in doubt amid calls from fans urging the club to fire him. However, Xavi Hernandez thinks otherwise.

The former playmaker, who played under Guardiola for three years at Barcelona, feels his old boss will deliver the goods once again as long as City continue to support his needs.

Xavi told the Daily Star: “To not win one of the Premier League or Champions League will be a big disappointment for Pep – those are the two he would have wanted.

“The Champions League even more so because Manchester City have never won it. They have some very good players, of course they do, but Pep needs to be supported in the transfer market this summer.

“It is not that they need many players – just three exceptional ones. We know that will not come cheap, but I would like to see Pep given the money to rebuild.”

Guardiola has already welcomed winger Ferran Torres and center-back Nathan Ake to the fold this summer. The latter’s arrival is especially important considering City’s struggles after losing Vincent Kompany last summer.

David Silva, meanwhile, has left for Real Sociedad after a glorious decade-long spell at the Etihad Stadium. While club record goalscorer Sergio Aguero is out of contract next year.

“They have got to the stage that you see at all big clubs, where some very important players are coming to the end of their careers,” continued Xavi.

“Kompany was one of the best central defenders in the world and there are maybe one or two defenders in the world that can replace him at his peak.

“For Silva it is the same. He is a once-in-a-generation player and it is going to cost big money to try and replace him.

“Aguero has one season left. How many strikers in Europe are there that will guarantee you 30 goals a season like he has for so long?”