Pep Guardiola has reportedly reached agreement on a new contract with Manchester City.
The Catalan manager arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, and has since led City to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and the Champions League, including a historic treble.
But Guardiola’s current deal expires at the end of the season and a decision about his future has not yet been announced.
Asked about his future last month, Pep claimed that he had yet to decide.
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He told Italian TV show Che Tempo Che Fa: "Leaving City? It's not true, I haven't decided yet. And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it... I don't know either, anything can happen."
The City boss had been expected to announce his decision in the next few months, and before the outcome of the 115 Premier League charges hearing is due in early 2025.
But Football Insider have reported that Guardiola has now reached an agreement in principle to stay at City for one more year.
The report claims that a deal to extend Guardiola’s contract until the summer of 2026 is "99% done” and an official announcement is due “soon”.
That would take Guardiola’s time in charge at City up to ten years.
A recent report from Spain suggesting that Xabi Alonso is set to leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the current campaign led to suggestions that the Liverpool legend might take over from Guardiola.
Meanwhile, the Athletic reported that Guardiola was keen on the idea of managing the Brazil national team.
It has been widely speculated that his next move would be to lead a national side, with England and the USA mentioned before their recent hires of Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino respectively.
And the report claims that Brazil have been calling Guardiola about taking over – but in 2026, not this summer. That would give Pep four years to work with the team before the 2030 World Cup, to be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco – along with three games to celebrate the competition’s centenary to take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Topics: Man City, Pep Guardiola
Alex Chivers