Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been the subject of rumours suggesting he might leave the club when his contract expires in 2025. Guardiola himself hinted at a potential departure, saying, “The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying.” When asked about his future, he mentioned, “We have talked with the club. I will stay next season, and during the season, we will talk. But eight or nine years? We will see.”
However, in a recent interview, Guardiola has given City fans hope of a prolonged stay at Manchester. “If you love what you do, why should I stop? I like it, so let’s go,” the Spaniard stated. He also went on to bring up his earlier statements and explained that he could’ve phrased it better.
“I know maybe I was not correct to say when we won the Premier League (that I am closer to leaving than staying), but I am saying that I have been eight years at Man City and I will not be here eight more years, that is why I am closer to leave than stay,” he said. “But I didn’t say I am leaving.
“Never ever. When I am leaving I will say I am leaving. But I didn’t say. That was my approach, maybe I was not correct to say that but that was my feeling right now. We spoke with the club and said it’s a lot of years so we will see what will happen but I am not ruling out absolutely to extend the contract.
“When I said I would love to stay it’s because I would love to stay. So that’s why, I want to (see) my feelings, I want to see my players. Nine years today in the same club is an eternity.
“I want to be sure it’s the right decision, not just for me but for the club, the right decision for the players. If they run like they already ran for eight years, no matter the competition, the tournament, this is what I have to see and that’s all.
“But I am pretty sure eight more years I will not stay because I think it’s good to refresh the players and managers, but at the same time we had success, still winning the Premier League, still arriving to the late stages and when we are defeated in big tournaments, the Champions League, the way we are beaten… This is my feeling right now.”
Having Guardiola stay for a further eight years seems impossible but getting him to sign a four or five-year extension would be brilliant news for the club. He has ingrained a winning mentality into the Citizens and is arguably the greatest manager of all time. City fans will be eagerly awaiting his final decision while the club works hard to negotiate a contract extension with him.
