Manchester City have reportedly been denied the chance to sign Barcelona midfielder Pedri, with the champions looking to replace the outgoing Kevin De Bruyne.
The Sky Blues will take on fierce rivals Manchester United on Sunday in the Premier League at Old Trafford, and they will be looking to avenge their bizarre 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in December.
However, City come into the clash in the midst of a battle for Champions League football, with the club residing in fifth place with 51 points, 22 points behind first-placed Liverpool.
Fans were also dealt a blow this past week when legendary midfielder De Bruyne announced that he would be leaving City upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.
Guardiola will need to replace the Belgian in the upcoming transfer window, but Football Insider claim that the Spaniard has been told by Barcelona that Pedri is not for sale and is considered untouchable.
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Who can replace De Bruyne?
There are arguably few midfielders in the history of the Premier League to have surpassed the level that De Bruyne achieved at the Etihad.
At his very best, the 33-year-old was a powerful athlete capable of driving past opponents with ease before either striking the ball ferociously at goal or threading delicate passes through to teammates.
Talented young Bundesliga stars such as Jamal Musiala or Florian Wirtz could come into the City starting XI, with both adept dribblers in tight spaces.
Despite their talents, neither can claim to be as good of a passer as De Bruyne, and perhaps Guardiola will have to reconfigure his side's attack to replicate the Belgian's impact in the aggregate.
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City's uncertain future
Guardiola signed a contract extension in November, which is set to keep him tied to the club until at least the end of the 2026-27 campaign, but there is still significant uncertainty regarding the future of the team.
Veterans such as Ederson, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan have struggled physically, and it remains to be seen if Ballon d'Or winner Rodri can get back to his best considering the serious nature of the knee injury he suffered in September last year.
Off the pitch, City are also expecting to learn the outcome of the investigation into the club's alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules in the coming months, and the verdict could have devastating consequences for the playing squad.
Lewis Nolan
