Rodri drops Pep Guardiola Man City exit bombshell as Arsenal and Liverpool watch on

There have been rumours for some time around Pep Guardiola's Manchester City future. The Spaniard is out of contract at the Etihad Stadium at the end of this season, with no sign of a renewal of terms as yet.

Guardiola is in his ninth season in Manchester, having won six Premier League titles in the eight seasons he has been with the club. He has also claimed two FA Cups, four League Cups, the Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup in an all-conquering spell as manager.

But the Spaniard set tongues wagging at the end of last season, after claiming a fourth straight Premier League title and making history as the first team to do so, by claiming he was "closer to leaving than staying".

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He backtracked on those comments somewhat this summer when he said: "I know maybe I was not correct to say in the right moment, when we won the Premier League, but I'm saying that I've been eight years in Man City so I'm not being here for eight more years.

"That's why I'm closer to leaving than staying. But I didn't say I'm leaving. When I'm leaving, I will say I'm leaving. But I didn't say it. I will not rule it out absolutely to extend the contract. I just want to be sure it's the right decision, not just for me, for the club."

Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who is out with an ACL injury, has been speaking to Cope in Spain about all things. Included in that was something of a Guardiola bombshell.

When asked if his future at the Etihad Stadium depend on Guardiola staying, he said: "You want to be surrounded by the best and there will be a before and after Pep. When I signed, they told me that Guardiola was leaving but he is very ambitious. When he is gone, things will change but City will continue to be City."

Rodri knew Guardiola was leaving City when he signed for the club in 2019, but five years down the line, Guardiola remains in situ. Things may well come to a head next summer though and it will be interesting to see what happens at the Etihad Stadium, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool particularly interested given their challenges for the Premier League title.