Pep Guardiola to spend close season deciding on his Manchester City future
Pep Guardiola will spend the close season weighing up his future at Manchester City, with the manager undecided on whether or not to sign a new contract when his current deal expires in the summer of 2025.
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After City’s treble success last year Guardiola, who had signed a new deal the previous November, was firmly minded to leave the club at the conclusion of next season. However, the 53-year-old has now decided to take some time thinking about whether or not to extend his stay at a club he joined in 2016 and has led to incredible success, with City winning a historic fourth Premier League title in a row this month. They looked set to follow up that up with becoming the first club in English history to win the Double two years in a row but failed to do so, losing to Manchester United in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
The Catalan’s desire not to rush into any decision regarding his future means there could be a lack of clarity at times during 2024-25 as to who will be City’s manager for the following season. Unsurprisingly, City’s executives want the incumbent to agree fresh terms but, equally, are aware of his need to deliberate and therefore will afford him as much time as he requires to decide on his long-term plans.
Guardiola is by far the most successful manager in City’s history, having led the club to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, the Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup. Speaking during City’s latest title-winning parade on Sunday, he said: “Even myself, I couldn’t expect to stay here eight years, but everything goes well. Step by step we are here. It looks routine but it’s not routine.”
Asked about City’s summer transfer plans, he added: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know the players [who] are going to make a decision whether to continue with us or want to leave or not. Players come in, come out. Right now, I’m really pleased with the team, how they behaved all season. I couldn’t say different.”
