MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho is buying his club time in the transfer market as his fitness has allayed fears they'll need to move for a midfielder in January.
The Brazilian is the club's only holding midfielder after City missed out on their summer target Jorginho and with scouts watching Ajax's Frenkie De Jong and Ruben Neves of Wolves.
But sources have told ESPN FC that Pep Guardiola is prepared to wait until the end of the season before making a move in the transfer market and that decision will be strengthened with Fernandinho, 33, insisting he's never been fitter.
"I had a rest last week," he told reporters about his demanding workload. "I've been in Dubai for a week. I have enough time to rest.
"I am happy because it's good to be important especially in a team like this with a lot of good and important players and we just need to go for it, to improve and get better all the time.
"I don't know [why I'm fitter than ever]. When you are out of international duty you can forget just a little bit about football, spend more time with your family and clean your mind and your body. I think it helps a lot."
Fernandinho was left out of Brazil's squad for this month's friendlies with Saudi Arabia and Argentina giving him a chance for a break.
He has not played for the national team since the World Cup but has not officially retired from the Selecao.
"Maybe [I will play for them again], I don't know," he said. "We'll see. You never know in football."
While he may be overlooked for the national team, Guardiola is delighted with his performances saying after Saturday's 5-0 win over Burnley that he "made an extraordinary performance."
He returns to former club Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday in the Champions League and is proud to have played for a club that often given early opportunities to young Brazilians.
"The next two games against them is going to be decisive to see who goes through to the next stage," he added. "They are going to be key games for us. Of course they have a good squad, good team, good players and we have to be careful and try to play the same way we are playing now.
"Of course I had very good times there and know a lot of people. And I like them so much and have a lot of respect for them. It will be nice to go back there, see them and spend some time with them.
"It's nice because they open the door from Europe for those players and after that they have the chance to change their teams. It's nice -- the connection between the Ukrainian people and Brazilians."