Pep Guardiola opens up on salary cap vote which has Manchester City and United in agreement - as one executive says football is 'sleepwalking into disaster'

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insisted that the Premier League will remain the best product in the world even if controversial salary cap rules are voted in by clubs.

A ballot on 'top to bottom anchoring' – restricting spending of teams to five times the amount the division's bottom club have recorded as prize money and broadcast income – is set for next month.

City and cross-town rivals Manchester United are believed to be two who oppose the idea, with one anonymous executive telling Daily Mail Sport that the league is 'sleepwalking to disaster'.

Some clubs fear that new rules, which could limit spending to approximately £550million a year for wage bills and transfer-related fees, will see English clubs fall behind their European counterparts in a doomsday scenario.

The PFA are against the move and have hired barrister Nick de Marco in the eventuality of any legal action further down the line.

But Guardiola reckons that the Premier League can withstand any changes to rules and keep its competitiveness in UEFA competition.

'I have my (own) opinion about that,' Guardiola said. 'I didn't speak with my CEO, Ferran (Soriano). We'll wait. I think what the clubs decide will be fine.

'In the end every decision, every rule, always there are positives and negatives. We'll see. I think the Premier League will always be a strong league. In many things it is the best, in other things it can be better. What the clubs decide will be fine.'

City's latest staff wage bill stood at £412m, with their next set of results due before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Guardiola suggested that any decision on the future of John Stones will be made in the coming months once City have a clearer idea of his fitness.

Stones struggled with injuries again last season and has missed a couple of games so far this term, with Guardiola not starting the central defender in consecutive games for six weeks.

The England international's contract expires next summer and Guardiola added: 'I no doubts about his potential and his quality. The club will decide what is best for John.

'We will see how he performs. When John is fit, he is part of the group, the starting XI and the year of the Treble he was unbelievable but since then he has not had the consistency in games. He's been injured many, times so that is why we have to wait and see.'