Pep Guardiola: Manchester Metropolis boss indicators two-year contract extension

Pep Guardiola has agreed phrases on a brand new two-year contract extension, Manchester Metropolis have confirmed.

The 53-year-old’s earlier Metropolis deal was on account of expire on the finish of this season.

The brand new contract takes the Spaniard to over a decade answerable for the membership, having joined Metropolis in the summertime of 2016.

Guardiola has received 18 trophies, together with six Premier League titles and the Champions League whereas on the Etihad.

“Manchester City means so much to me,” Guardiola informed the membership’s official web site. “That is my ninth season right here; we now have skilled so many superb instances collectively. I’ve a extremely particular feeling for this soccer membership.

“That’s the reason I’m so comfortable to be staying for one more two extra seasons.

“Thanks to everybody for persevering with to belief and assist me – The Proprietor, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the gamers and naturally the followers… everybody related to Manchester Metropolis. It has at all times been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be right here.

“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much. Hopefully now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”

Hypothesis over Guardiola’s future, rife for a number of months, had elevated significantly after the membership confirmed director of soccer Txiki Begiristain can be leaving on the finish of the season.

Begiristain, a long-time ally of Guardiola, is to get replaced by Sporting’s Hugo Viana, a former Newcastle participant.

Ending uncertainty over Guardiola’s place prevents additional disruption subsequent summer time at a time when the membership are additionally on account of compete within the Membership World Cup.

The information has come at a important juncture in Metropolis’s season. Hampered by accidents, the champions’ kind has wavered of late, with the workforce having misplaced their final 4 matches in all competitions, the worst run of Guardiola’s profession.

It has additionally been a tough marketing campaign off the sphere with the membership going through 115 fees for alleged breaking of Premier League guidelines following an investigation into their monetary affairs.

Guardiola succeeded Manuel Pellegrini at Metropolis eight years in the past after earlier profitable spells answerable for Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

In the meantime, Metropolis Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak spoke of his delight on the supervisor’s determination to remain in Manchester for 2 extra years.

“Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester City will continue; allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game,” he informed the membership’s web site.

“His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our Club, and the English game at large.

“This renewal will take Pep past a decade of teaching Manchester Metropolis and the chance to proceed to re-write the managerial file books.”

‘Pep felt now was not the correct time to go away Man Metropolis’

Sky Sports activities Information reporter Ben Ransom:

“I believe the timing of the information has come as a shock. We acquired the sense as this season has gone on that Pep was extra inclined to remain.

“This is his ninth season so he’s not going to do another nine, of course not. But for him to say that, to be in that reflective mood, to probably see this team and the way it’s evolved and where they are right now, he had a lot to think about.

“His household are nonetheless in Catalonia and Barcelona. That might have been a giant draw, taking him again to Spain. However alongside that’s the job and the membership that he completely loves.

“And Pep has a loyalty to Manchester City, which we’ve seen. He clearly loves the job. He loves the challenge of trying to win the Premier League.

“And I believe it is that that is simply tipped him over the sting to need to keep. Particularly his good friendship with Txiki Begiristain. We all know he is leaving on the finish of the season.

“We know Hugo Viana is coming in this kind of sporting director/director of football role. That is a new relationship. It’s a new era. It’s a new challenge. And I think Pep must have felt that in leaving now, he wasn’t doing the right thing by the club. They need him.

“They want somebody they’ll depend on. And while you have a look at his file, in fact they’ll depend on Pep.”