From Fabrizio Romano: Latest from inside Manchester City on Pep Guardiola’s future | OneFootball

Transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano has delivered the latest information from within Manchester City concerning the future of Pep Guardiola at the club.

The Catalan coach continues to weigh up his options with regards to his next steps in the game, as he approaches the expiry of his existing Manchester City contract within the ninth season at the club.

Guardiola has long insisted that he intends to take steps into international management beyond club football, and despite not taking the England men’s team job in recent months, the Manchester City boss has reiterated that such a goal remains the case.

From the side of Manchester City, they have no intention of placing any pressure on Pep Guardiola and his future, instead handing him the time and space he deserves as a result of his success at the club to make a decision in private.

However, a new report has pointed towards the quiet confidence from within the club that the temptation of reaching a decade in charge of the reigning Premier League champions may come to fruition through yet another contract extension for Guardiola.

That is according to the information of Fabrizio Romano, who reveals that internally at Manchester City, they still believe there is a good chance to continue with Pep Guardiola as their head coach beyond the ongoing 2024/25 season.

It is further explained that the Premier League champions and officials within the Etihad Stadium are not in advanced conversations with any other managers to replace Guardiola, amid links to the likes of Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso.

“Man City maintain their confidence to keep Pep Guardiola at the club. Still they’re waiting for an official answer from Pep and this is still the case, so still they’re waiting for Pep to inform them of what he wants to do next,” Romano explained.

“But internally at Manchester City, they still believe there is a good chance to continue with Pep Guardiola beyond this year. So Manchester City in this moment are not in advanced conversation with any manager,” he continued.

“We spent basically one month guys, since I told you that Hugo Viana was going to become the new Manchester City director from Sporting, many media said OK Ruben Amorim is the favourite to go together with Hugo Viana from Sporting to Manchester City, and I always told you no, that is not the case.

“Man City was never in negotiations for Ruben Amorim, Man City were in negotiations for Hugo Viana – the director – but Ruben Amorim was never a topic, not because they don’t like Ruben Amorim, he’s a fantastic coach, but because at Man City they are still confident and optimistic to continue with Pep Guardiola.

“Still waiting for an official, formal answer but still very optimistic and confident to continue with Pep. This is the feeling at Man City. This is why between Amorim and City, there was never something advanced and this is why Pep Guardiola is still waiting to give an answer, but at City internally they still hope it can happen to continue with Pep once again.”

For the time being, Pep Guardiola continues to push back on any questions put to him by the media regarding his Manchester City future, insisting that a decision is yet to have been made and that they will be informed when that is the case.

On the same subject of high-profile alterations within the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City have already confirmed that long-standing director of football Txiki Begiristain will leave his position at the end of the season, to be replaced by Sporting’s Hugo Viana in 2025.