Pep Guardiola admits he made the “biggest mistake of his career” by selling a former Man City star – now he’s in talks to bring him back!
A shocking revelation has just been spread within Manchester City. According to many sources, coach Pep Guardiola has publicly admitted that his “biggest mistake in his coaching career” was selling a former Man City player, who he now wants to bring back to Etihad in the January transfer window.
Speaking after the latest match, Guardiola said bluntly:
“Selling him is the decision I regret the most. Now, with Rodri injured, we don’t have a midfielder who can replace him.”
Although the player’s identity has not been officially announced, the British media is unanimously saying that it could be Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gündogan or even Cole Palmer – names that have left Man City in recent seasons and are all playing impressively at their new teams.
The worry is named Rodri
Rodri, the “brain” of Man City’s midfield, suffered a serious injury in last week’s match. He is expected to be out for at least 6-8 weeks, causing the team to fall into a crisis in the central midfield position.
In recent matches, although Pep has tried many options such as Mateo Kovacic or Matheus Nunes, no one has the ability to control the tempo of the match like Rodri.
An inside source at Etihad revealed that Pep held an emergency meeting with the club’s board of directors and sporting director Txiki Begiristain to discuss re-signing a former player who understood his philosophy.
“Pep wants someone who can integrate immediately, without needing time to adapt. And only someone who has worn a City shirt can do that,” the source confirmed.
Surprise transfer move
According to British reporters, Manchester City have started contacting the player’s representatives. The preliminary agreement is said to be “almost complete” and is expected to be officially announced in early January 2026.
Many fans have quickly speculated: if it is Ilkay Gündogan, this will be a big shock for Barcelona, as the German midfielder left City less than two seasons ago. And if it is Cole Palmer – a star shining at Chelsea – this deal could cause a stir in the Premier League, as the English player’s price has now increased many times compared to when he left Etihad.
Pep Guardiola – Regret too late?
Guardiola rarely admits mistakes, but this time he publicly admitted his mistake to the media:
“When you have so much talent, sometimes you have to let some people go. But he shouldn’t have been one of them.”
With City’s recent inconsistent form and injuries to key players, this move shows that Pep is really feeling the pressure. Fans are now just waiting to see who will be the “lost son” that the Spaniard will bring back – to restore the strength of Manchester City’s famous midfield.
