I'VE BROKEN MY AGE-OLD RULES

Pep: I don't usually sign veterans like Gundogan

- DAVID ANDERSON

PEP GUARDIOLA claims he broke his own transfer rules to sign Ilkay Gundogan because he was so keen to have him back at Manchester City.

Gundogan is 34 in October and Guardiola says he has made it a policy not to sign anyone too old.

But he happily binned that rule when he became aware Gundogan wanted to return to City, 14 months after leaving on a free, because Barcelona wanted to get him off their wage bill.

"As a manager, I'm not a big fan of re-signing players with this age," said the City boss.

"But I know him quite well and his mentality is right. He's a huge competitor and with the financial situation at Barcelona, he came back on a free.

"We talked about that and said 'OK, we can do it'. The negotiations between the clubs were none of my business and the salary as well. It happened and we had to try."