Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola responds to Claude Puel comments about Riyad Mahrez move

Guardiola reiterated that the club always respects other clubs in the transfer market

Riyad Mahrez saw his move to Manchester City collapse late in January (Getty)

Pep Guardiola has dismissed claims by Claude Puel, the Leicester City manager, that Manchester City behaved disrespectfully during their failed pursuit of Riyad Mahrez.

Leicester refused to sell Mahrez to City during the final days of the January transfer window, rejecting a deal worth up to £60m and instead demanding approximately £95m for the Algerian.

Puel suggested on Thursday that to move for a player so close to the deadline was not “normal” and showed a lack of respect to Leicester, who would have been left with little time to find a replacement.

“We’re not a squad like some great teams at the top of the table,” he said. “We need to manage better and we need also perhaps some respect from others.”

City, however, insist that they first made contact with Leicester a week before deadline day and Guardiola reiterated the club’s stance when asked about Mahrez ahead of Monday’s FA Cup tie against Wigan Athletic.

“I think the club made a statement and it was so clear what happened,” he said. “The club made a statement and always try to do the best for us, and of course respect the opponents.”

​Mahrez initially failed to report to training at Leicester after the move collapsed, eventually returning late last week.

The 26-year-old subsequently held clear-the-air talks with Puel and is now back in the fold at the King Power Stadium, with Leicester keen to draw a line under the saga.

“He came with the squad at the weekend, he travelled with the squad, it was important for him that he came with us to stop this situation,” Puel said.

“The club, the players, the squad, the staff, tried to manage this situation with the best feeling. They welcomed him with a good feeling, now it is important to move on.”