Pep Guardiola was left in shock after Manchester City’s captain Fernandinho announced he plans to leave the Premier League leaders at the end of the season.
The Brazil international has been at the club since 2013 and he signed a one-year contract extension last June.
But when he was asked if he will continue to play for Guardiola’s side next season he responded: “No, I want to play regularly. I will go back to Brazil. I decided with my family, which is the most important for me.”
Guardiola responded to the comments in the press and said he had no knowledge of the midfielder’s desire to leave.
“I didn’t know it,” said Guardiola. “We will see what happens at the end of the season. We don’t know what’s going to happen. Fernandinho, I’ve said many times, is so important for me. We will see what happens but, anyway, I will talk to him.
“Maybe it’s a family decision or maybe he wants more minutes than he has had this season, I don’t know. I will speak to him, of course, but this kind of situation...at the end of the season we are going to talk.”
City travel to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The English club currently hold a 1-0 lead after Kevin De Bruyne’s second-half goal settled a close affair at the Etihad last Tuesday.
Fernandinho has since posted on social media insisting he remains focused on finishing the season with City.
“Anyone who knows me also knows that my greatest honesty is with Manchester City and my duties as team captain,” he said on Twitter.
“My focus is 100% on winning all the titles we are playing for and I will only talk about my future at the end of the season. Let’s keep pushing!”
