Pep Guardiola agrees to a two-year extension with Manchester City

After months of speculation about his future, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a new contract. The former Barcelona boss has agreed to a two-year extension that will keep him in Manchester through the end of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Guardiola joined Man City in 2016 and has turned them into one of the most successful teams in English history, winning 18 major trophies, including the Champions League.

“Special feeling” at Manchester City

Prior to signing this contract extension, Guardiola had just seven months left on his Man City contract.

There were many rumours linking him away from the club. At one point, the soccer betting sites listed the Spaniard as the most likely name to take over Brazil before the 2026 World Cup.

In the end though, Pep decided to stay with City.

The six-time EPL champion said he has “a really special feeling” for Manchester City.

“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons,” he added in a statement released on Thursday.

Man City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak praised Guardiola’s decision to stay, saying: “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.

“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.”

More history in the making

Since taking over at Manchester City in 2016, Guardiola has led the Sky Blues to unprecedented success.

Man City have won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

The club are in second place–five points behind Liverpool in first–heading into Matchweek 12. Our EPL predictions see them struggling again this week against Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham, but we wouldn’t put it past Man City to make a late-season run to challenge Liverpool.

Guardiola says he is committed to ensuring Man City challenge this year and beyond while he is at the club.

“Hopefully now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus,” he said.

Even if Man City don’t win the title this season or the next, Guardiola still has a chance to add another record to his personal list of accomplishments with the Sky Blues.

If Guardiola sees out his new contract extension, he will be the first Man City coach to manage the club for over a decade since Les McDowall did it between the 1950 and 1962 seasons.

Guardiola will also become just the third manager in Man City’s 100-plus-year history to stay at the club for over a decade.

Charges looming

One thing that may stop Guardiola from seeing out his new contract at Man City is the Premier League’s current proceedings against the club.

The EPL is set to announce the verdict of its ‘115 charges’ case against Man City sometime early next year.

If found guilty, Man City could face severe points deductions or even be relegated from the EPL.

In fact, many betting sites list Man City as one of the sixth most likely teams to go down this season due to the pending case against them.

Conclusion

Guardiola has said in the past that he would be more likely to stay at City if they were found guilty and relegated. We will be watching to see if he changes his tune, should the club actually be punished.