Pep Guardiola: Manchester City did everything to stop Brahim Diaz joining Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City ‘did everything to keep’ Brahim Diaz from joining Real Madrid, who are a ‘good step’ in his career.

Diaz, 19, joined City’s youth system from Malaga in 2013 and has become Madrid’s first January signing in four years, penning a six-and-a-half-year deal.

“I said many times. What we did with Brahim we did the same with Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho, important players that we did absolutely everything to keep,” Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday.

“The only one who decided to stay was Phil and that's all. We wish him [Diaz] all the best, of course. Going to Real Madrid is not a bad step so hopefully he can take the minutes he wants to take and he didn't want in the last period, for many reasons.

“We wish him all the best because he's a nice guy but on the other side, again congratulations to the academy and for the club to work so well. When this happens and teams like Madrid and important teams in Europe want our players it is because they are working really well.

“You have to take a look at all the big clubs in Europe, how many young players there are in the first team immediately. Today the guys who are 16, 17, 18, 19 years old, to be in a position with 40 games in the first team is so difficult.

“The young players need time – everybody. David Silva for example, he went out on loan at other clubs to become who he is right now and before he came here. So some players have patience and trust with the club and what we want to do, some they don't.

“There are many, many clubs in the world, not just Man City, and people decide. What we have to do is, the people we believe have a chance to go there, to do everything, in training with us and be with us, and trust with them. This is what we have done.

“And after, I have said many times, their families, agents, they decide what is the best for the guy. So that's all.”

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La Liga - Club News