BARCELONA manager Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola wants to sign another holding midfielder to cover absences during the new season but is delighted that he only needs to fine-tune his squad.

Pep Guardiola

The Catalans have been linked with Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano throughout the summer and Guardiola explained why he feels another ball-winner in the centre is necessary.

Juventus’ Christian Poulsen is another option but Guardiola said while he wants quality he is not keen on seeing the club spend millions.

“Toure Yaya and Seydou Keita will be away for some time at the African Cup of Nations in January so we’re looking at it. It’s an option. He has to be good and cheap,” Guardiola told the club’s website.

“The team are a joy, and if we can we’ll do some fine-tuning. I’d like to have 16 or 17 reliable players to rotate and so people can’t guess our line-ups. Looking at the market, I can’t say how many players we’ll sign. It’d be better if they come now but the market decides in the end.

“The base is already there. It’d be different if we had to sign eight or nine players.

“I don’t want a large squad like those at Real Madrid or Inter Milan. If necessary I’ll nick some players from Luis Enrique,” he added, referring to the Catalans B team manager.

The pressure on Barca will not be great this season, Guardiola believes, because familiarity means the players all know how to cope and how to work with everyone.

“Now we know each other. Everyone says the same — the second year’s tougher than the first.

“I have to do what I can so that they have the same stimulus and humility to continue winning. I have a lot of faith in my team. We shouldn’t go around saying how good we were last season. We already celebrated that in April and May when we were doing it.”

Barca created history last season by winning the treble — Primera Liga title, Copa del Rey and Champions League.