Guardiola heir ‘asks’ Man City to make €100m signing as ‘condition’ for appointment

Xabi Alonso has reportedly asked Manchester City to make a €100m signing in a key ‘condition’ for him replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.

Speaking on Friday, Guardiola said he’s yet to make a “decision”, but he admitted that “part of him” will leave when sporting director Txiki Begiristain moves on in the summer.

“I have to decide. I don’t want to talk about it. I’ve said that many times, and hopefully all of you won’t ask me anymore.

“I didn’t take a decision already. When I take it I will inform you, for sure, 100 per cent. There is no news and I don’t have to add anything else.”

On Begiristain, he added: “Part of me is leaving, I would say. A friend of mine and one of the architects of one of the best teams ever from Barcelona, and now here.

“I knew the decision for a long time, for family and personal reasons, and I know how grateful he is for this experience here.

“Personally he will be missed a lot. He helped me a lot in my period in Barcelona and of course here.

“But I have the opinion the club is so solid, incredibly well structured. It has to be like that. All families have to move on and the club will move on.”

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Saudi Pro League clubs are said to be queuing up to land Guardiola, while Brazil have reportedly made contact with the Catalan in what is a ‘most tempting’ offer .

Guardiola is keen not to leave City in the lurch and reports suggest he won’t leave it too much longer before deciding whether to stay or go, and confirmed on Friday that he would offer his opinion on who he believes would be a good replacement.

“Of course, with the relationship I have, if they ask me I will give my opinion but it is not my job. The decision will be taken by them, not by me. It belongs to the club,” Guardiola said .

“I would give my opinion as a friend, having shared unbelievable moments together, but it has to be the club. I would say the new sporting director, the moment I’m not here any more, has to choose.”

A report in Spain claims Alonso’s is ‘the name that sounds strongest’ but the Bayer Leverkusen boss has a ‘condition’.

It’s claimed he ‘has made it clear that if he wants to take on the challenge of leading Manchester City, he will need Florian Wirtz’.

The 22-year-old has already been linked with City as a possible replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, who may well be Saudi-bound at the end of the season.

Alonso ‘has asked the Manchester City board to do everything possible to sign his current pupil, seeing in him the perfect piece to lead the City center of the field in the Premier League’.