Guardiola humiliates ‘not clever enough’ £53m signing in repeat of Phillips degradation

Pep Guardiola has embarrassed Matheus Nunes by publicly stating that a midfielder signed 18 months ago by Manchester City for £53m can’t play in midfield.

Manchester City spent a substantial amount to bring Nunes in from Wolves in September 2023 but the Portuguese has struggled to establish himself as a reliable first-team option since.

The 26-year-old has played 62 games under Guardiola but only 38 of those have been starts, and not until his recent rebirth at right-back have his opportunities been in any way consistent.

Nunes was trusted to help keep Alejandro Garnacho quiet in the Manchester derby and while he ostensibly succeeded in the goalless draw, Guardiola’s apparent attempt at praise turned into a quite damning verdict.

“He can become a good right-back for his physicality,” the manager said when asked whether he wanted more attacking endeavour down that side from Nunes.

“I think he’s not a player to play in the middle because he’s not clever enough, in the composure. He has incredible skills and he’s learning a lot.

“The big mistake of full-backs is when you have the cross to the far post where you are, always they are sleeping. He defended really well two or three crosses, like when Bruno put it to the far post for Dorgu. He has the attention and the physicality to do it. So he can play in that position and help us a lot.

“When you start the season if you said in decisive games ‘Matheus will play right-back and Nico left-back’ you would ask what I’m talking about. But this season is what it is.

“Manu Akanji is coming back. We have two young central defenders. But in the last two games, three games, the back four today again, we were excellent. Ruben was incredible. Josko as well. Nico, except the last 20 minutes – he was tired because he is young and playing every three or four days is new to him – he played really, really good.

“We build from that.”

Nunes, linked with Newcastle in a swap deal involving Bruno Guimaraes recently, might disagree.

Guardiola’s comments echo those he made about Kalvin Phillips, a similarly misguided midfield signing, last summer.

“He was really good for the problems we had,” the Spaniard said in pre-season after using Phillips as a central defender in some friendlies.

“I know Kalvin when he gets the ball and can see all the pitch in front of him he’s a really good player. When he has the small spaces there are more problems.”

Phillips was sent on loan to Ipswich the following month and has sat largely on the bench for a team set to be relegated back to the Championship.

It does not bode at all well for Nunes, who in February expressed his desire to return to former club Sporting one day.

“Obviously I want to go back and I’ve said it several times. I think they know that,” he said.

“I had already returned to the stadium, but playing there had never happened. And the affection I felt… I was really p*ssed because we lost, but I can’t explain the affection I felt.

“I won’t say dates, obviously, I won’t estimate it, but obviously I’ll come back.”