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Leroy Sane unavailable to make City bow against Sunderland

@City_Watch / Twitter

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.

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