Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola opened the door to a move for free agent Dani Alves.

Alves is without a club after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the club he joined after snubbing City at the 11th hour two years ago.

Guardiola remains interested in the Brazil right back and could look to sign the veteran as a short-term solution this season.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is open to signing full-back Dani Alves

That remains dependant on Danilo departing the Etihad Stadium. The full back, who has interested teams in Serie A, is known to want more game time but has struggled to secure a move away.

‘We know, as all the important clubs know, about his situation,’ Guardiola said.

‘He is an incredible player and an extraordinary person - but we have two incredible full-backs so it is what it is.’

Guardiola enjoyed success with Dani Alves as Barcelona manager between 2008 and 2012

City still want a fourth central defender after Vincent Kompany took up the reins as player-manager at Anderlecht.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis has impressed on the tour of Asia and there are high hopes for Eric Garcia but Guardiola wants to secure more experience. His primary target is Harry Maguire at Leicester City.

‘It won’t be many,’ Guardiola said. ‘The market is so difficult but the team is really good enough. Maybe zero, maybe one, maybe one-and-a-half.

‘If we can we will, if we can’t we will survive without a new central defender.’

Guardiola implied any move for Alves would be dependent on the departure of Danilo

John Stones is expected to start the season as Aymeric Laporte’s partner and candidly admitted to making too many mistakes earlier this week.

‘He’s a young player - it’s not too many mistakes,’ Guardiola said. ‘If the player is open-minded then you become stronger.

‘Football is more than mistakes and success. If he pushes himself to want to be better then he will do it but it depends on him.’