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Pep Guardiola has no issues selling players to rivals because Manchester City are not a \u201csmall club\u201d.<\/p>\n
The champions come up against two of their recent former players in Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling as they travel to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Palmer left City for Stamford Bridge in August having grown frustrated at a lack of game time under Guardiola, a year after Sterling also moved there for a fresh challenge.<\/p>\n
Both went with the club\u2019s blessing, as did Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko when they joined Arsenal \u2013 and fuelled a strong charge at City\u2019s crown \u2013 last year.<\/p>\n
Some managers might be uncomfortable with at sales that effectively strengthen clubs in direct competition, but Guardiola insists it has \u201cnever ever\u201d bothered him.<\/p>\n
The City boss said: \u201cFrom my point of view, I give my opinion to the club but after that the club has to decide if the transfer is good for both sides and for the player.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut never ever (has it been an issue). I think that means you are a small club. Big clubs make decisions for the benefit for all three parties: players, both clubs \u2013 and agents sometimes. Really, it\u2019s not a problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if they want to go to Chelsea or (Manchester) United or, I don\u2019t know, Liverpool or whatever, what is the problem? They are happy to be there, the club is happy for the transfer.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother player would come and we\u2019d keep going: good spirit, good mood, and try to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
City had high hopes for 21-year-old midfielder Palmer, who came through their youth system.<\/p>\n
He was a member of the squad that won the treble last season and started the current campaign strongly with goals in the Community Shield and European Super Cup matches.<\/p>\n
It looked like he could get more opportunities following the departure of Riyad Mahrez but he opted to move on regardless, joining Chelsea in a \u00a342.5million deal.<\/p>\n
So far he has impressed at the London club and Guardiola accepts his decision to move appears to have paid off.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThey moved from here because they wanted to play and, if they play, the decision made has been good.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Raheem, since he left, plays always and Cole, since he left, is playing always. So they took good decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cCole accepted some process but after one or two years he said, \u2018I don\u2019t want to stay here because I\u2019m not going to play\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said, \u2018But Riyad is leaving, you have a chance\u2019. He said, \u2018I\u2019m not going to play here. I\u2019m going to leave\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cOK, leave. He got what he wanted. It\u2019s good for him. He\u2019s a huge talent. Otherwise he would not have been here.\u201d<\/p>\n