According to reports, the reason for Pep’s claim is clear, as the duo of Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol have delivered excellent results. Guardiola has been highly impressed with their partnership in recent matches. Ruben Dias, the Portuguese defender, and Josko Gvardiol, the Croatian defender who usually plays as a left-back, have formed a pairing that has caught Guardiola’s attention.

Due to the team’s needs, Guardiola has had to deploy Gvardiol in central defense. Gvardiol himself has stated that while it is not his natural position, he feels comfortable there. Gvardiol joined Manchester City two years ago as a center-back but had mostly been used as a left-back before recently transitioning back to central defense.

Overall, while Guardiola does not intend to permanently change Gvardiol’s position, he now knows that the Croatian is the best option in emergencies. Guardiola said after the 2-0 win over Everton three days ago: “Yes, I like this duo. Gvardiol is fast, very fast, especially in covering the backline. I think Ruben and he are very committed, they communicate a lot, especially Ruben, and I think they make a great pair. So, this is an option. We’ll see if we buy a player or not, but I don’t think we intend to, and I don’t believe the club needs a center-back because we have plenty of players in that position.”