Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed why the Citizens failed to sign Riyad Mahrez on transfer deadline day.
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City were believed to have several bids rejected for the Leicester City player on the final day of the January window.
Many speculated that Guardiola wanted to lure Mahrez to the club due to the recent injury Leroy Sane sustained, but the manager explained that City could simply not spend the amount the Foxes were asking for.
"He's a Leicester player," he said, according to Sky Sports.
"Everybody knows we were trying but we cannot afford, in this moment, this amount of what they are asking. I understand perfectly.
"We tried to do it in the (European) summertime, we tried to do it now, but like summer, they locked the door and we can go to the summer and holidays.
"It was not possible. With (Aymeric) Laporte yes, with the other one no. We are going to see what happens in the summer."
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Mahrez had reportedly handed in a transfer request in a late attempt to join City, a move that is believed to have angered his teammates.
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