Reports indicate the Premier League is expected to approve changes that will see the deadline moved to before the start of the season.

Manchester City are still hoping to bring in a new centre-back before the Aug. 31 deadline while a number of his squad are expected to leave the Etihad Stadium in the next two weeks.

"It would be good [to close the transfer window earlier]. We will start the season with the squad that we'll work with until the winter window, the winter time when the market is open again. It's a decision of the Premier League," he told a news conference ahead of Monday's match with Everton.

"Everything will be quicker, less speculation. We can start from the first game of the Premier League with the squad that we are working with -- because now maybe you have players that are going to move on or players that played in other games will come in.

"It will be better I think for all the clubs, not just in England but from all around the world. The managers and the clubs will work quicker and not wait for the deadline, the last moment, the last second. So I think it will be better."

Guardiola is expecting a tough game from Everton, who took four points from his side last season, and admitted that he doesn't like playing on a Monday night.

"I don't like to play Monday, the last game, when everybody is done and you play. I don't like that, but it is what it is," he said.

"And just in terms of results, you never got good results when you play the last game on a Monday.

"I'm considering the opponent like Everton will be tough. But I expect a good game and to win the game, of course."

Guardiola suffered the heaviest ever league defeat of his coaching career to Everton last January when City were beaten 4-0 at Goodison Park. But the Catalan says he has put that result in the past and insists his players will have learnt a valuable lesson from the lopsided loss.

"It was a long time ago. I don't comment when I play again against a team when I've won 4-0 because I think it's a new game," he said.

"Of course, we were not able to beat them last season. In our game at home, it was one of the best performances we played last season but we were not able to win when we missed not only two penalties and many, many things.

"And the game was there, they arrived four times and scored four goals. We were not solid in terms of defensive way. But it was the past.

"Of course, we hope we can learn about that because that's how we learn when we win and the same when we lose."