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Pep Guardiola is trying to push through the signing of a holding midfielder before Thursday's transfer deadline.

The Manchester City manager watched his Premier League champions pick up the season's first piece of silverware with a 2-0 win against Chelsea on Sunday - but is adamant he still needs to add to his squad.

City have missed out on Fred and Jorginho in the last seven months as Guardiola tries to secure top class back up for Fernandinho, with Julian Weigl, Mateo Kovacic, Mario Lemina, Thiago Alcantara and Marco Veratti all on his radar this summer.

The Catalan is now hopeful director of football Txiki Begiristain can deliver before the window closes on August.

"We are trying," said Guardiola when asked about any further signings. "We would like to find maybe one more because we don't have two specific players to substitute Fernandinho.

"But if he doesn't come, there won't be anyone else."

Guardiola will consider John Stones as a makeshift midfielder if he cannot recruit someone in the coming days.

But he made it clear he believes he is short of options going into the new season - and an emphatic win against Chelsea has not altered his opinion.

"When we take a decision it does not depend on one victory or one defeat," he added. "If today we had not been able to win the game the question could have been different – saying you need a midfielder.

"When we take a decision it is because we analyse apart from the result."

City dropped their interest in Fred after having a bid rejected by Shakhtar Donestk in January.

The Brazilian ended up moving to Manchester United in a £52m deal this summer.

Guardiola had already turned his attention to Jorginho and City believed they'd secured the Italian after months of negotiations with Napoli.

But they were stunned when he opted for a move to Chelsea to reunite with his former manager Maurizio Sarri.