Guardiola won't prevent unsettled players from leaving Man City

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola said if Brazil internationals Savinho and Ederson want to leave Manchester City they should just come ask.

The City manager addressed speculation about the players' future on Friday, a day before the team opens its Premier League campaign at Wolverhampton.

"If they want to leave they will come to me. I'm working with them because I am here. If they want to leave, they will knock on my door," Guardiola said.

The 21-year-old Savinho joined City last summer on a $45 million transfer and signed a five-year contract but has been linked to Tottenham, which has seen Son Heung-min leave this offseason and James Maddison go down with an ACL tear.

Savinho, a winger, scored three goals in 48 total appearances last season.

"I don't know," Guardiola responded when asked if Savinho would stay. "Tottenham in that case or any other club (that) wants a player should call the club, right?"

Guardiola insisted that he hopes Savinho stays.

"I'm only concerned right now today that Savinho will be with us until the rest of the season and hopefully for many, many years because with 21 years old with the potential that he has ... plays lots of minutes, he has to improve in the final decisions ... but he's an extraordinary player," Guardiola said.

Still, Savinho won't travel with the team for the season opener because of an unspecified injury from last week's friendly in Sicily.

"Savinho is injured, sorry I didn't remember," Guardiola said. "He's injured from Palermo. Had a problem. A few weeks he will be out."

The 31-year-old Ederson has been Guardiola's first-choice goalkeeper since arriving from Benfica in 2017. He's helped City win six league titles, among other trophies. British press reports say Turkish club Galatasaray wants to sign him.

"Ederson didn't come to me and say 'I want to leave, I have an offer,' so all the players (who) are here are our players, and I work with them. What's going to happen (in the transfer window) nobody knows."

Guardiola added: "In the end, as always, the desire of the players (is) above everything."

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