Pep Guardiola has insisted that he can stay at Manchester City after next season.
The Spaniard has entered the final year of his contract, which officially expires on June 30, 2025.
After his Man City side secured a fourth successive Premier League title – a feat unique in English football and the 17 trophies the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has won in eight years at the Etihad Stadium so far – Guardiola admitted he was ‘closer to going than staying’.
Many have even tipped the Spaniard to become England manager following Gareth Southgate’s departure after the Euro 2024 final.
However, speaking at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s friendly with Italian giants AC Milan at Yankee Stadium in New York, Guardiola insisted there is still a chance he could stay and that nothing has been decided yet.
“I didn’t say I was leaving,” he said (via BBC Sport).
“Nine years at one club is forever. I’m not stopping you from extending the contract. I want to make sure it’s the right decision for the team and the players.
“If I make a decision, I will talk to my CEO and the sports director. But I want to start the season, see how everything is going and how connected we are. After that we will see. “
For now, Guardiola will remain focused on preparing his side for the 2024/25 Community Shield curtain-raiser against Man Utd at Wembley on August 10. Before that, the Cityzens face challenging friendlies against Barcelona and Chelsea, after the aforementioned clash with Milan.
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