Guardiola extends Manchester City stay, marking 10 years at the club

Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, has agreed to a one-year contract extension, securing his stay at the club for another season. Although City have declined to comment on the story first reported by The Athletic, multiple sources have confirmed the extension, which will mark his 10th year with the club.

Guardiola, 53, joined City in 2016 and has won an impressive 18 trophies during his tenure, including six Premier League titles. His previous contract was set to expire at the end of the current season, and while it has been suggested that the new deal could include an option for a second year, this remains unconfirmed.

Under Guardiola’s leadership, City achieved historic milestones, including becoming the second English men’s team to win the Treble — Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in the same season. They also made history by winning four consecutive Premier League titles and reaching 100 points in a single campaign, the first team to do so.

Currently, City sits second in the Premier League, five points behind leaders Liverpool, and is on a four-match losing streak across all competitions, marking the first such run of defeats in Guardiola’s managerial career, excluding shootouts. After a recent 2-1 loss at Brighton, Guardiola suggested that after years of dominance, it might be another team’s turn to win the title, saying, “Maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it.”

Guardiola has signed contract extensions in May 2018, November 2020, and November 2022. In May, following City’s fourth consecutive league title, he admitted he was “closer to leaving than staying.” He also expressed that “part of me is leaving” when Txiki Begiristain, the club’s director of football and long-time ally, announced his departure at the end of the season.

Guardiola had previously stated that any decision to extend his contract would depend on being “really convinced” it was in the best interest of the club. The uncertainty surrounding his future has been linked by some to the team’s recent poor form.

The outcome of the Premier League’s disciplinary case against City, which includes 115 charges the club denies, remains pending. The potential sanctions, if found guilty, could be severe, but Guardiola has consistently backed the club, urging critics to wait for the final decision before passing judgment.

Guardiola is now the longest-serving current manager in the Premier League following Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool in the summer.