Pep Guardiola explains why Manchester City missed out on Frenkie de Jong

Pep Guardiola believes it is “almost impossible” for Manchester City to buy established talent at a reasonable price nowadays, after seeing the Premier League champions lose out on another target.

City were interested in 21-year-old Ajax prodigy Frenkie de Jong, who was viewed as a long-term replacement for holding midfielder Fernandinho, yet faced competition from other top European clubs.

Despite offers from both City and Paris Saint-Germain, De Jong ultimately agreed to join Barcelona in a deal worth up to £75million on Wednesday. It is understood he will be paid around €300,000-a-week (£260,000) at the Nou Camp once the deal is completed this summer.

It is understood that City were reluctant to meet De Jong’s salary demands as doing so would have made him one of the club’s top earners, thereby breaking the present wage structure and potentially upsetting the dressing room as a result.

City have lost out on several targets over the last 18 months, with interest in Dani Alves, Alexis Sanchez and Jorginho all ultimately coming to naught. De Jong’s name can now be added to that list.

Ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Burnley, Guardiola reiterated his claim – first made a fortnight ago – that all clubs struggle to compete once either Barcelona or Real Madrid enter the market.

The City manager also repeated his claim that the club need to be “quicker and smarter” in their transfer dealings, yet added that it is more difficult than ever to sign talented players for sensible money.

“The transfer market, the salaries, increases a lot,” Guardiola said. “When we arrived here our average age was so old. After Neymar at PSG, it increased to incredible levels. Unfortunately that’s why we spend a lot to change the team.

“We have to be quicker and smarter and try to buy the players. We have to adapt. It’s difficult to buy top, top players at a good price. It’s almost impossible. Maybe we have to trust in the young players and help them develop their own personality here.

“I think we try to keep the harmony in the locker room with the wages,” Guardiola added. “When you have no balance with that then there is always a problem with the mood in the locker room. One of the good things that City have done is keeping that balance.

“The reality is that it’s not just one or two teams paying a lot on wages. There are many. Many, many. Before the rumours was that it was just PSG and Manchester City. That is over. Everybody can pay a lot in fees and wages.

“It’s not just in England: it’s in Italy, in Spain, France. Maybe not in Germany. There are many and sometimes we can’t compete with that. We have to be quicker, faster and don’t get nervous. At the end we want players who want to come here.”

Guardiola is an admirer of De Jong, who has been compared in his native Netherlands to Johan Cruyff, a former mentor to Guardiola and the chief inspiration on his coaching career and philosophy.

Nevertheless, the City manager said he was not disappointed to have missed out on De Jong. “The players have the freedom to to take their own decisions,” he said. “When they don’t want to come it’s because they want another place.”

When asked how he believed the club could best heed his call to become “quicker and smarter” in the market, Guardiola said: “I don’t know! The others are quicker and smarter, like we try to do.

“In the market there are many players, in positions we need, but even next season if we can’t take anyone then the squad remains good.

“I’m so satisfied for what City has done. We cannot forget we only bought one player this season [Riyad Mahrez, a club record £60m signing from Leicester City]. We’ll see what happens in the summer.

“We’ll see the behaviour of the players in the locker room, their desire to stay and help the club – not just me and their mates. It’ll be important.”