Manchester City: Pep Guardiola admits concerns over Benjamin Mendy's injury record

Mendy is still not fit enough to play for City despite returning to the matchday squad on Wednesday

Pep Guardiola has admitted that concerns over the fitness of Benjamin Mendy are likely to force Manchester City into the transfer market to search for another left back.

Ahead of a Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, the City manager revealed that Mendy is not yet ready to return from a long-standing knee injury.

Mendy was named on the substitutes’ bench for Wednesday night’s 1-0 victory over West Ham United, following Guardiola’s comments that the defender was now “better”.

But on Friday it was revealed that Mendy was only included in order to make up the numbers for the injury-hit champions.

Guardiola admitted that there is concern for a £52million signing who has made just 20 appearances in 18 months, hence the search for another cover in his position.

“Today, he’s not fit,” Guardiola said. “It’s not about English football, it’s the fact that he’s not able to play. He’s injured during two seasons.

“If it happens in two seasons it can happen three, yeah definitely. Hopefully not, we’ll work with that, he’s working with that, but the truth is we could use him [for only a] few games.

“That is the reality. At the end the strongest guys, every day are there. That is the truth. That’s why we are looking for, maybe, you know, for the next season.”

Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell is understood to be high on the shortlist of City’s left-back targets.

The 22-year-old England international signed a new contract at the King Power Stadium until 2024 last October.