Pep Guardiola believes Man City suffer from ‘transfer tax’ by rival clubs, who increase values by ‘£10-15m’… as search for Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva replacements proves difficult

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City are being punished with a ‘transfer tax’ by rival clubs — deepening his wish to keep Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva in his Treble-winning squad.

The City manager, whose season kicks off against Arsenal in tomorrow’s Community Shield, also confirmed RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol was having medicals ahead of a £77.6million move.

But Walker remains a target for Bayern Munich while Silva has generated interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Saudi Arabia.

With less than a month remaining in the transfer window, Guardiola admits the cost of potential replacements has made keeping the duo a necessity.

‘For us to buy a player, just because we are Man City, it is £10-15m more expensive than the other clubs all the time,’ said Guardiola.

The Spaniard continued to discuss the importance of Bernardo Silva (left) & Kyle Walker (right)

‘The same guys, when they want our important players, they have to make an offer — and that hasn’t happened.

‘When it happens, we will fight to extend the contract and them be with us. That has happened with all of our players since day one.

‘In the case of Bernardo and Kyle, we talk many times over the last months and even years how important they are for us, how we want them and we will continue to do so until the end.

‘I don’t know what will happen but it won’t happen if the clubs don’t arrive at an agreement because they are massively important players.

‘When we lose these types of players we have to go to the market for replacements and these players don’t cost £10m, £20m, £30m, £40m, £50m.

‘No, it’s more expensive than that. We need that money to reimburse on other players to make the team as strong as possible to defend the crowns that we won.’

Guardiola confirmed that RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol was having medicals at Man City

Guardiola has seen Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez leave, although the City manager understood their wishes to move on.

‘When you win the Treble, it looks like the job is done,’ he said. ‘Players who are 32, 33 like Ilkay and Riyad say we arrived here to win the Premier League and then people ask about the Champions League.

‘Some players feel they want a new experience. I will not be the guy who says no — but they have to make an agreement with the important part of the club, the business. Make a deal and it happens.’