Manchester City have an obligation to improve - Guardiola not ready to give up on signing new striker

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Manchester, August 23: Pep Guardiola insists it is Manchester City's "obligation and duty" to ensure they have the strongest squad possible as the English champions continue to be linked with Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

City have yet to bring in a replacement for all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero, who departed the Etihad Stadium at the end of the 2020-21 campaign and has since joined Barcelona on a free transfer.

England international Kane is reportedly City's only target ahead of the August 31 deadline, with Spurs rumoured to have already rejected one big-money offer from their fellow Premier League club.

And while Guardiola reiterated he will be happy with his squad should no new striker arrive before the window closes, the Catalan coach says it is only right City continue to work on adding to what they already have.

"When I was asked about a replacement for Aguero in the past, I said it would depend on the market, the options, whether we buy or not," Guardiola said. "It is still the same situation.

"We still have nine or 10 days of the market and we will see what happens. If the team is the same as today, I'm more than pleased. We've put an incredible amount in to compete with the best teams in England and Europe.

"The group here are fantastic. I have not complained since day one of being here and will not do it now. But of course the club has an obligation and a duty to look forward, to get better."

City started without a recognised striker through the middle in Saturday's 5-0 win over Norwich City, with Gabriel Jesus operating from the right-hand side and starring with two assists.

That win ended a run of three successive competitive defeats without scoring for City and was the 23rd occasion they have won by a margin of at least five goals in the Premier League since Guardiola took over ahead of the 2016-17 campaign.

Jack Grealish, who became the most expensive player in British football history when arriving from Aston Villa in a £100million deal earlier this month, scored his first goal for City in the Norwich win.

Aymeric Laporte, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez were also on the scoresheet at the Etihad Stadium after Tim Krul had scored an early own goal.

Next up for Guardiola's men is a home match against Arsenal next Saturday (August 28).