MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City would have to sell many of their young prospects if FIFA's proposed clampdown on loans was introduced, according to Pep Guardiola.
The world football governing body is ready to limit the number of players clubs can loan out from the start of the 2020-21 campaign, according to The Times.
Under new rules, clubs would only be allowed to loan out six to eight players -- City currently have 28 players out on loan at clubs around the world, including sister clubs New York City FC, Girona and Melbourne City.
"We're going to see the situation about loan players and see what we can do, the club is going to adapt if FIFA decide to do that," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday.
"If we cannot loan them, they are going to come back here. If we don't believe they are going to play, if we cannot loan them we are going to sell them. It's simple.
"We're going to see before they take the players where they are going to play, and if it is not possible to loan them we are not going to buy them."
City have signed promising youngsters from across Europe with many going out on loan to try to prove they are good enough to make Guardiola's first team.
Some have already had first-team football at City, including Tosin Adarabioyo at West Brom, Manu Garcia at Toulouse and Douglas Luiz at Girona.
But Guardiola has long been of the view that the standard of reserve football in England is not high enough to help his players progress.
"It's not good, for me," he said. "For the young players to come through the Academy, the next step is the first team. Loan players are in good leagues, so to then come here to play in front of 10 people is not good for their development.
"There's no way Luiz comes back here to the second team. He would have been with us to make an alternative for Fernandinho, but we couldn't get a work permit. Now he's playing a lot of games for Girona and playing in the Camp Nou, in the Bernabeu.
"It would make no sense to come here to the second team. It would not help the young players in that way."
Without Brazilian midfielder Luiz, Guardiola is short of cover for Fernandinho. The 33-year-old is likely to start Saturday's clash with Bournemouth, but the Catalan said he can't be expected to feature in every match.
"Every game? No way," Guardiola said. "He can play, but we would kill him for the next season. He cannot play every three days, but we have alternatives: John Stones, Danilo, [Fabian] Delph, [Oleksandr] Zinchenko, [Ilkay] Gundogan.
"We have a good squad and a few players can play in several different positions. This is what I said a few days ago, we are not going into the transfer window. I am sad when many players who cannot play -- imagine if I bring another one. It's better like this."