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 Guardiolaโs leadership, City achieved historic milestones, including becoming the second English menโs team to win the Treble โ 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 Guardiolaโs managerial career, excluding shootouts. After a recent 2-1 loss at Brighton, Guardiola suggested that after years of dominance, it might be another teamโs turn to win the title, saying, โMaybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it.โ
Guardiola has signed contract extensions in May 2018, November 2020, and November 2022. In May, following Cityโs fourth consecutive league title, he admitted he was โcloser to leaving than staying.โ He also expressed that โpart of me is leavingโ when Txiki Begiristain, the clubโs 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 โreally convincedโ it was in the best interest of the club. The uncertainty surrounding his future has been linked by some to the teamโs recent poor form.
The outcome of the Premier Leagueโs 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 Kloppโs departure from Liverpool in the summer.