Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that his decision to block new signings during the summer transfer window may have been a mistake, as injuries have plagued the team’s season.

Speaking ahead of City’s Premier League clash with Brentford, Guardiola spoke on his summer stance:

“I always said in the summer time — the club thought about doing it — and I said: ‘No, I don’t want to make any signings.”

The club only signed Brazilian forward Savinho and brought back midfielder Ilkay Gündogan.

Guardiola revealed he was confident in his existing squad, saying:

“I rely on the team and I want to stay with them. Just Savio came, Gundo back — I wasn’t expecting that at the end — but he came back and just Savio came.

“And I said, because I rely a lot with these guys and I thought still I can do it again, do it again with those guys and do it. But after the injuries, wow, maybe we should have done it.”

City have already moved to bolster their squad ahead of the January transfer window, with a deal agreed for Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov and ongoing interest in Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush.

Guardiola also addressed the uncertainty surrounding captain Kyle Walker, who has expressed interest in exploring a move abroad in January.

AC Milan are reportedly keen on the 34-year-old defender, who has 18 months left on his contract.

“Kyle is our player right now, so that’s all,” Guardiola said when asked about Walker’s future.

“What’s going to happen, I don’t know.”

The City boss also expressed his desire to keep James McAtee, who is attracting interest from German clubs.

“I would love to say categorically yes [McAtee will stay], but I don’t know. I would love him to stay here. I was the one to say, I want Macca here.

He didn’t play much minutes so far, but I was the one who said I want James here with us.”