Guardiola signs two-year contract extension with Man City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2027, the Premier League champions announced on Thursday.

Spaniard Guardiola’s move means he will spend more than a decade at the club he joined in 2016 and led to a dazzling array of silverware, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. champions.

The news will be welcomed by City fans who may have feared that the Guardiola era was coming to an end with his current contract expiring at the end of this season.

“Manchester City means so much to me,” the 53-year-old, who previously enjoyed success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, said in a statement.

“This is my ninth season here; we’ve had so many incredible moments together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That’s why I’m so happy to stay for two more seasons.”

Guardiola joined Abu Dhabi-owned City in 2016 and turned them into a trophy-winning machine.

He guided City to 18 major trophies and established a brand of football admired around the world. This season, however, has brought a slight dip in form and they are on a four-game losing streak, the worst since Guardiola’s arrival.

“I felt I couldn’t leave now, simple as that,” added the manager. “I think we deserve, after four straight losses, a chance to bounce back and try to turn things around.

“I think we deserve to be here. I’m not arrogant to say that, but it’s the truth.”

“I love being here. I love being the manager of this club. As soon as I no longer have that feeling, even under contract, I will call my CEO and tell him that the best for the club in This moment is that I have to leave,” he added.

“I don’t have that feeling at the moment and that’s why I extended it a little longer.”

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement: “Like all City fans, I am delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester City continues, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the gaming landscape.

“His thirst for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of this will continue to be our players and coaching staff, our club culture and English football in general.”

British media reported on Wednesday that Guardiola had agreed to a one-year extension but his tenure will now extend to a decade, in a huge boost for the club which is under investigation for more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules over a nine-year period. period of one year.

The city denies all charges against them.

They are five points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League table, but Guardiola sounded an optimistic note.

“I’ve said it many times before, but I have everything a manager could want, and I appreciate it very much,” he said. “I hope we can now add more trophies to those we have already won. That will be my goal.”