Manchester City star issues contract extension plea to Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has appealed to manager Pep Guardiola to remain at the Etihad Stadium beyond his current contract.

The 22-year-old is preparing to embark on his second season at Manchester City and working under the coaching of Guardiola, having moved to the Etihad Stadium last August from RB Leipzig in a £77.6 million deal.

Gvardiol, who represented Croatia at the European Championship this summer, won three trophies during his maiden campaign in east Manchester, including the lifting the Premier League title in May.

The defender has predominately played at left-back since swapping Germany for England, and scored five goals for Manchester City last season – with Gvardiol’s brace against Fulham at Craven Cottage in May helping the Sky Blues to a record-breaking title triumph.

The Croatian was also the scoresheet against Luton Town and Nottingham Forest last season, having netted his first Manchester City goal emphatically at the Santiago Bernabeu, during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash against Real Madrid.

Manchester City will bid to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title this season, and will be competing for silverware across six different competitions, including the expanded Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

The upcoming campaign could be Guardiola’s last at the Etihad Stadium however, with the Catalan boss out of contract at the end of the season, and currently coy on his plans beyond 2025.

Speaking about Guardiola’s contract situation, Gvardiol told The Mirror: “We would all love for him to stay longer because he brings out the best in us and has built something special here.

“Pep is always passionate and focused. He’s constantly innovating and motivating us. Working under Pep is so rewarding. He constantly pushes us to reach our full potential and be perfect in every aspect of our game.

“His high standards and incredible attention to detail have helped me grow as a player and as a person.”

Guardiola has signed three previous contract extensions since arriving at Manchester City from Bayern Munich in 2016, and hasn’t ruled out signing a fourth deal.