Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is not known for dwelling on past decisions, but he has recently admitted that one particular transfer continues to trouble him. In a rare moment of reflection, Guardiola acknowledged that selling a player for just £50 million turned out to be a major miscalculation. This realization hit even harder after the player surpassed all of City’s stars, including Rodri, in the latest Ballon d’Or rankings.
Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the best managers in the world, with a keen eye for talent and an exceptional ability to manage his squad effectively. However, in this instance, it appears that he underestimated the potential of a player who has since flourished at another club. During a recent interview, Guardiola reportedly expressed his regret by stating:
“We sold him for only £50 million, and now he has finished ahead of all our players in the Ballon d’Or, even ahead of Rodri! That was my biggest mistake!”
At the time of the sale, Manchester City believed they were making a reasonable decision. The club deemed the transfer to be financially beneficial and assumed they could continue to thrive without the player. However, another club and manager saw something Guardiola had overlooked, providing the player with the perfect environment to reach his full potential. Since then, he has grown into one of the best footballers in the world, proving that City might have let go of an extraordinary talent far too soon.
The impact of his performances at his new club has been undeniable, attracting global recognition and leading to a higher placement than any City player in the prestigious Ballon d’Or rankings. This unexpected rise has sparked frustration among City supporters, who are now questioning why the club was so quick to part ways with him. Many fans have voiced their concerns over what appears to be a significant lapse in judgment, wondering if such a costly mistake could have been avoided.
For a manager of Guardiola’s caliber, who has constructed one of the most dominant teams in modern football, this particular transfer decision could go down as one of his greatest regrets. While City remains a dominant force in domestic and European competitions, watching a former player achieve individual success beyond the club’s current stars must be difficult to accept.
This raises an important question: Will Manchester City and Guardiola take greater caution in the future to prevent such a mistake from happening again? With the club’s ambition to remain at the pinnacle of world football, ensuring they do not repeat this error could be crucial to their continued success.
