August 4th 2023.
Pep Guardiola has expressed his disappointment after Manchester City missed out on signing Declan Rice from West Ham to Arsenal. Despite City's £90m bid, Rice opted to sign to Arsenal for an offer of more than £100m, making him the Gunners' most expensive signing and one of the most lucrative in Premier League history.
Guardiola has accepted the outcome, saying: ‘Rice decided on Arsenal so all the best. He’s an important player, a very nice guy and for England will be important. For Arsenal, what an incredible player.’
The Premier League champions will now turn their attentions to Sunday's Community Shield Final against Arsenal, with Guardiola saying: ‘Of course we are going to try to win. How we are right now, we finish two weeks later than Arsenal, start [pre-season] two weeks later so we’re not the best way. We struggle to restart. But it’s a final and hopefully our mentality can help us compete.’
He also has set the challenge for his side to ‘sustain the level’ that saw them clinch a historic treble last season. He added: ‘The challenge is massive for us mentally and how we grow as a team football-wise to sustain that level. It’s almost impossible but the challenge is that. How hungry we still are, our desire. Over the next 11 months, we will have many low moments, it’s how we come back.’
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