Guardiola: Manchester City cannot afford €100m on one player Premier League - Manchester City Laporte still due to arrive

As one of the world's biggest spending clubs in recent years, it is perhaps odd that Pep Guardiola has spoken out about how financially stringent Manchester City are at this moment in time.

With Aymeric Laporte set to cost around 65 million euros, the Spanish coach suggested that such a figure was unlikely to be breached.

"Maybe it will happen in the future but so far we have not spent 100 million on one player, or 90m or 80m," he told reporters.

"We cannot pay that right now, [the club] tell me. That is the truth. Of course, we have spent a lot of money, but only the same as other teams.

"I can assure you that we are not the only team in the world that spends money. There are many others."

Taking on Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Sunday, City are still in the hunt for a quadruple having reached the League Cup final in midweek.

"When you are trying to handle four competitions and such a lot of fixtures you either have to be lucky with injuries or have 22 top players to compete," noted Guardiola.

"And at today's prices to have 22 top players you need to find, maybe people don't believe me, money we don't have. City are not so different from other clubs.

"There are salaries we cannot pay. There are transfers we cannot afford. That's why academies are so important because you must find players of your own."