Pep Guardiola believes that his experienced Manchester City players can still make valuable contributions to the rebuilding process at the club as he strives to restore past glories following a torrid season.
Following their Premier League title defense collapse and Champions League defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, City now only have the FA Cup to fight for in terms of trophies.
Guardiola’s team will play second-string Plymouth in the fifth round on Saturday.
Although they have won six out of the previous seven Premier League championships, the club has been reprimanded for not renewing its elderly squad earlier.
City signed four players in the winter transfer window — Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis — to show how much rebuilding is needed due to injuries and dip in form for his main men.
But ahead of Friday’s press conference, Guardiola vowed that his experience men would continue to play a crucial role in next season.
“There are players here who are over 30, and they will be part of the future of this club,” he said.
“Except for Kevin, Kevin and the club will decide in the future, the others have contracts, and I expect them to be here next season. They are going to help us.”
He added: “We cannot do it just with the new ones or just with the old ones. We have to be all together… It is really, really important for the end of this season and the next.”
“I count on Gundo (Gündoğan, 34), I count on Berni (Bernardo Silva, 30), I count on all the players who have contracts. They are here. I have no doubt about that.”
Guardiola, whose team are aiming to reach the FA Cup final for a third consecutive season, is refusing to take Plymouth lightly.
The south-coast side, currently in the Championship relegation zone, stunned runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool in the fourth round.
“We have played many times in the Carabao (League) Cup and the FA Cup against lower-league teams, and they are always tricky,” he said.
“What these teams do, they do really well. And if you are not ready, you are in trouble. We have a chance to reach the last eight of the FA Cup again, and we want to do it.”
