Pep Guardiola signed a brand new two-year contract to increase his keep as Manchester Metropolis boss, the membership introduced Thursday.
Guardiola, 53, agreed to a deal that may hold him on the Etihad Stadium till 2027. His contract was on account of expire on the finish of the present marketing campaign.
The extension means Guardiola will rejoice 10 years at Metropolis in the summertime of 2026, having arrived from Bayern Munich in 2016.
Editor’s Picks
1 Associated
“For the reason that starting of the season, I have been pondering lots,” Guardiola mentioned. “I wish to be trustworthy, I believed this [season] needs to be the final one. However the issues we had within the final month, I felt now was not the precise time to depart. I did not wish to let the membership down.
“Manchester Metropolis means a lot to me,” Guardiola mentioned. “Now we have skilled so many superb instances collectively. I’ve a very particular feeling for this soccer membership. That’s the reason I’m so completely happy to be staying for an additional two extra seasons.”
Metropolis, in accordance with sources, had been involved Guardiola would possibly step down on the finish of the season. His determination to remain is a serious enhance, notably with director of soccer Txiki Begiristain leaving the membership in the summertime.
Begiristain was instrumental in engineering an period of unprecedented success on the Etihad. He’ll get replaced by Hugo Viana, who will make the transfer from Sporting Lisbon the place he labored with new Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim.
Guardiola is probably the most profitable supervisor in Metropolis’s historical past, having received 15 main trophies together with six Premier League titles and the Champions League. This season, he is aiming to turn out to be the primary supervisor in English soccer historical past to win 5 consecutive top-flight titles.
“It has all the time been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be right here,” Guardiola added. “I’ve mentioned this many instances earlier than, however I’ve all the things a supervisor may ever want for, and I respect that a lot. Hopefully now we will add extra trophies to those we’ve already received. That will probably be my focus.”
Metropolis, who’re on a run of 4 straight defeats in all competitions for the primary time since 2006, sit second within the desk, 5 factors behind leaders Liverpool.
“Like each Metropolis fan, I’m delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester Metropolis will proceed; permitting his dedication, ardour and progressive pondering to proceed to form the panorama of the sport,” Metropolis chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak mentioned in an announcement.
“His starvation for enchancment and success stays insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that may proceed to be our gamers and training employees, the tradition of our Membership, and the English recreation at massive.”
A supply instructed ESPN that Guardiola’s new deal doesn’t include a break clause, regardless of the specter of relegation from the Premier League if Metropolis are discovered responsible of breaching the competitors’s monetary guidelines. Metropolis are dealing with 115 fees — which they deny — at a listening to in London that started in September.
The listening to is ready to conclude within the coming weeks earlier than the impartial fee delivers its verdict subsequent 12 months.
