Leroy Sane unavailable to make City bow against Sunderland
New Manchester City winger Leroy Sane is out of his side's season opener against Sunderland on Saturday, but Pep Guardiola could hand a debut to John Stones.
Sane was a £37-million summer signing from FC Schalke 04, but will sit out after not undergoing any preseason preparation with his new club. Premierinjuries.com understands the speedy 20-year-old is suffering from a tight hamstring.
Stones, meanwhile, cost £47.5 million from Everton, and is in line to make his first appearance in sky blue amid fitness concerns for Nicolas Otamendi and captain Vincent Kompany.
"Stones has had a lack of time with his teammates," said Guardiola. "(But) he reads what's going on and what he needs to do - I think he's ready.
"Nicolas is much, much better - he had a problem with his tendon. He will be fit, but we have a little, little eye on the game in Romania (against Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday), so we'll see tomorrow whether he'll play against Sunderland."
There is a further absentee in Ilkay Gundogan, the purchase from Borussia Dortmund who's struggling with a knee problem, but Guardiola says he's very close to deciding his first competitive XI at the helm.
"I know 80-90 percent who's going to play tomorrow but I'll sleep on it," he said. "It's almost done - not quite 100 percent, I need my dreams to make the right decision.”
City will take to the field in Eastlands having recorded two wins over preseason against Dortmund and in a behind-closed-doors friendly with St. Johnstone.