Pep Guardiola agrees Manchester City contract extension | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has agreed to a 12-month extension of his Etihad Stadium contract, reports on Tuesday night have indicated.

The 53-year-old has been in the final year of his Manchester City agreement for the season so far, and has continuously rejected to answer questions on his next steps within the game when press for answers by the media.

Speaking during his most recent press conference, Guardiola told reporters, “I’ve said many times, I’m not going talk about this. When it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. We’re in touch regularly, and what’s going to happen is going to happen, always for benefit of the club.”

Intensified questioning surrounding his future has also coincided with a major change within Manchester City’s footballing hierarchy, with Director of Football Txiki Begiristain leaving his position next summer after 12 years at the Etihad Stadium.

And while Begiristain and Pep Guardiola are known to be close friends, with the former playing an integral role in luring the Catalan to the position of head coach in 2016, it was believed that his exit would not be directly linked to the former Barcelona tactician.

Now, as Manchester City prepare to return to action following the latest international break with hopes of returning to winning ways after four defeats in a row, the club, their players, and global supporter base have received the ultimate update surrounding Pep Guardiola.

According to new information courtesy of The Athletic’s Sam Lee, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola has now agreed to a new one-year contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, with the option of an additional year.

Confirmation of a decision from Pep Guardiola comes amid links to a number of names from across the European game tipped to be successors to the former Bayern Munich boss at the Etihad Stadium.

With there being a feeling that Manchester City are monitoring the development of highly-rated coaches throughout the continent, Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso is understood to be admired by the Premier League champions.

Despite admiration for several names, the club’s priority has always been to extend the stay of Pep Guardiola in what will now be 10 years – and potentially longer – of arguably the game’s greatest-ever coach managing Manchester City.

The club returns to action from the final international break of 2024 by taking on Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening in the Premier League, on a day when Ballon d’Or winner Rodri will also be presented with his prize on the pitch prior to kick-off.