Guardiola rules out Manchester City move for Juventus icon

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out snapping up free agent Claudio Marchisio in the wake up Kevin De Bruyne’s serious knee injury.

De Bruyne has been ruled out for up to four months after sustaining a knee injury in training earlier this week.

The Belgium international is a key player for Guardiola and his absence is a huge blow in City’s pursuit of a second straight Premier League title.

The transfer window for English clubs shut earlier this month but sides are still able to make loan signings and free transfers.

Marchisio has spent the last 25 years at boyhood club Juventus but the Old Lady announced on Thursday they had mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

The 32-year-old has dropped down the pecking order at Juventus in the last few years and is now free to find regular playing time elsewhere.

When Guardiola was quizzed whether he would be interested in snapping up the Italy international to bolster his midfield options, the City manager ruled out a move.

“No,” he told Sky Sports. First a big comment for his career- he made an amazing career at Juventus and with the national team.

“In December, we are going to see what happens in the [next] transfer window but now the squad  is the squad.”

Between August 2016 and May 2018, Juventus had a win ratio of 87.9% from the 33 matches Marchisio was involved in compared to 69.8% from the 43 games he missed.