We allowed him leave for just £50M and now he was ranked above all our players in the Balon d’Or ranking including Rodri”- Pep Guardiola regrets letting his “world class” star leave for just £50M who is now placed above their star boy in the Balon d’Or.

Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, is typically not one to dwell on past errors, but even he has acknowledged that a specific transfer decision continues to haunt him. In a surprising admission, Guardiola revealed that selling a player for only £50M was a significant error, particularly after seeing him outshine all of City’s top players—including Rodri—in the most recent Ballon d’Or rankings!

Known for his careful approach to squad management, Guardiola rarely makes mistakes in the transfer market. However, in this case, it seems he misjudged the potential of a player who has since blossomed into a world-class talent elsewhere. During a recent interview, Guardiola is said to have commented:

“We allowed him to leave for just £50M, and now he’s ranked above ALL our players in the Ballon d’Or, including Rodri! Selling him was my BIGGEST MISTAKE!”

The Transfer City Fans Regret

At the time, City decided to let the player go, believing they could manage without him. The club accepted an offer, thinking it was a smart financial move, but what followed was unexpected. Another manager recognized what Guardiola had missed and provided the player with the opportunity to excel. Now, he has firmly established himself as one of the world’s best, showing that City parted ways with a generational talent far too soon.

His outstanding performances have not only benefited his new club but also attracted global attention, placing him higher than Rodri in the Ballon d’Or rankings. This has left City supporters questioning the club’s judgment, with many demanding to know why he was allowed to leave so easily.

Did Guardiola Make His Greatest Error?

For a manager who has built one of football’s most successful teams, this transfer could become one of his biggest regrets. While City continues to dominate on the domestic front, seeing a former player excel beyond their stars on the global stage is undoubtedly a tough pill to swallow.

The lingering question now is—will Guardiola and Manchester City make such an expensive mistake again?