Pep Guardiola signs new Manchester City contract to end speculation over future
Written by News on 19/11/2020
Pep Guardiola has committed his future to Manchester City by agreeing a new two-year deal at the club.
Guardiola, 49, had just seven months left on his previous contract but the new deal, which runs to the summer of 2023, would stretch his City stay to seven years from his arrival in 2016.
City have won six major trophies, including two Premier League titles, since Guardiola took over.
It is already Guardiola’s longest stay as a manager, after four years in charge of Barcelona and three at Bayern Munich.
“Ever since I arrived at Manchester City I have been made to feel so welcome in the club and in the city itself – from the players, the staff, the supporters, the people of Manchester and the chairman and owner,” Guardiola said.
“Since then we have achieved a great deal together, scored goals, won games and trophies, and we are all very proud of that success.
“Having that kind of support is the best thing any manager can have. I have everything I could possibly want to do my job well and I am humbled by the confidence the owner, chairman, Ferran [Soriano] and Txiki [Begiristain] have shown in me to continue for two more years after this season.
“The challenge for us is to continue improving and evolving, and I am very excited about helping Manchester City do that.”
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Guardiola had been non-committal over his future at the club, saying in September that he was waiting to see if he “deserved” a new deal.
But City remained desperate to secure Guardiola to a long-term contract.
City chairman Khaldoon Mubarak said: “It is testament to the qualities of the man that Pep Guardiola’s passion and intelligent approach are now woven into the very fabric of the football we play and our culture as a club.
“That impact has been central to our success during his tenure and it is why I am delighted that he shares our view that there is so much more to be achieved both on and off the field.
“Pep’s contract extension is the natural next step in a journey which has evolved over many years. It is a product of the mutual trust and respect that exists between him and the entire club. It also goes to the stability and creativity at the heart of our football operations.
“Importantly it is a validation of the football structure and philosophy that has been built over more than a decade and to which he has contributed so much.”
De Bruyne reveals City contract talks – ‘I want to stay’
Kevin De Bruyne says he wants to stay at Manchester City after revealing he is in talks with the club over a new contract.
The 29-year-old confirmed the news after helping Belgium to a 2-0 win over England in the Nations League on Sunday night.
Speaking to Belgian TV station VTM Nieuws, De Bruyne said: “I am at a good club [with] good owners.
“We are a bit in talks – not advanced. At the moment I am doing the talks myself.
“I would like to stay with the club, so it’s easy. If I didn’t want to stay, it would take someone to mediate. But when you want to stay, it’s not so difficult.”
Pep’s unfinished City project
By Sky Sports’ Adam Smith
It has been a rocky start to a strained campaign for Manchester City but Guardiola’s contract extension comes as a convincing bolt out of the blue – his City project remains unfinished.
It took the Spaniard one year to shuffle the old guard and deliver a dominant title-winning campaign in 2017/18 – finishing 25 points clear of fourth-placed Liverpool – a divide that would flip in fortunes two years later.
As the graphic below illustrates, City achieved close to perfection in that second term, smashing a plethora of records and key centurion landmarks – including 100 points and netting 106 goals.
That scintillating season proved to be the pinnacle to date, but while the points and goals declined in 2018/19, their defence continued to improve – helping them stave off the Reds and retain the title by one point.
But that defensive solidity also began to wane with a runners-up finish last term, some 18 points adrift from Liverpool – prompting Guardiola to invest heavily in his defence once again.
Summer signing Ruben Dias is now identified as Aymeric Laporte’s centre-back partner and fellow recruit Nathan Ake provides additional cover. City have appeared increasingly watertight in recent games with this newfound stability.
This season is quite unique, in terms of schedules and the global situation, but Guardiola’s City project is clearly far from over, with the defensive struggles seemingly addressed and the likes of Phil Foden coming to the fore.
The elusive Champions League trophy could well be in sight, but so could Lionel Messi…
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Pep Guardiola signs new Manchester City contract to end speculation over future
