City need to make the cut

CLOCK TICKING FOR PEP TO OFFLOAD PLAYERS

- BY SIMON MULLOCK

MANCHESTER CITY are facing a race against time to trim their squad to meet both Premier League and Champions League requirements.

Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he feels he has too many players — but the need to cut is also being driven by the prospect of having to leave bodies out of the manager's plans completely.

City currently have 32 players in their first-team squad - and, although Premier League rules on homegrown players and those aged under 21 means they only have to make one sale before the transfer window closes, different regulations in Europe means as many as five players need to leave.