Dimitri Seluk has hit back at Pep Guardiola over his treatment of Manchester City outcast Yaya Toure.
Guardiola has told the veteran midfielder that he won’t play for City again until the outspoken Seluk apologises for comments he has made about the club.
Seluk accused City of ‘humiliating’ Toure earlier this month after the Ivory Coast star was omitted from Guardiola’s squad for the group stages of the Champions League, having made his only appearance of the season in the play- off against Steaua Bucharest.
It is not the first time that Seluk has attacked City in public since Toure joined from Barcelona for £24million in 2010, but Guardiola has drawn a line and demanded that the Monaco-based Ukrainian agent says sorry this time.
However, Seluk has responded to Guardiola’s ultimatum – insisting that he won’t apologise and it should be the Spaniard making amends for his handling of Toure as well as Joe Hart, who is currently on loan at Torino.
“What do I need to apologise for?” he said. “Guardiola wins a few games and he thinks he is king. I live in Europe so I can say whatever I like and Guardiola can’t stop me.
“Okay, I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to Pellegrini for what he did to him. If you are a gentleman, this just does not happen.
“Pellegrini signed a new contract last year and then he gets pushed out for Guardiola to come in. Pellegrini was a gentleman.
“Guardiola also needs to apologise to Joe Hart. It is not normal and it is not right to come to England and to get rid of the few English players. When you come to a country you must respect the country and respect its people.”
Seluk said: ” When Yaya went to Man City, they could only dream about the Champions League. The biggest stars in Europe did not want to come to City, but Yaya came. They weren’t a big club. After he arrives they started winning; two league titles, cups and now the semis of the Champions League.
“I want Man City to win everything; to win all their games because it means more trophies for Yaya. City have great players, but Guardiola wants new future for Yaya, for Hart…and they won’t be the last.
“I respect managers like Claudio Ranieri who achieve without spending so much money on players.”
Asked again whether he would apologise, Seluk finished: ‘Well, what do I need to apologise for?’
Explaining the reason why Toure will not be considered for Wednesday’s League Cup tie at Swansea, Guardiola warned that the 33-year-old midfielder could be frozen out completely for the remaining eight months of his £220,000-a-week contract at the Etihad unless Seluk shows how much he cares for his client and apologises.
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