Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he is “open” to staying at the club for longer than his current contract. The Spaniard only signed an extension last year but he says he’d happily stay for longer under the right conditions:
“I’m open [to it], yes. It is not about what the club wants or not. For me, I want to see my players and the reaction of my players and everything. It is not as simple as I want to extend. I want to see the club, I want to see the players, I want to see how we are still working together.”
“That is the most important thing after five years together. You have to feel like we can do it together and enjoy to work together.”
Guardiola has been phenomenally successful during his three and a half years in charge at the Citizens, having won two league titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup, and fans on Twitter are excited by the prospect of the 48-year-old staying:
Mr Mubarak get the cheque book out you have the best @pepteam
— N.O. (@dorsetdonuts) November 30, 2019
best news ever, greatest manager in football, completely changed the game
— Paul Mylod (@paulieboy8) November 29, 2019
Stay forever pep ???
— Sifa Kamilah Holis | Emooh (@SifaEmoh) November 29, 2019
Beers on me lads if he signs ???
— Cal (@yatesy9320) November 30, 2019
Could this statement BEEEEEEE any more fantastic?….don’t forget the keys to the city…heck give him the keys to everywhere actually and Mayor of Mc bit as well…????
— Lynda Emerson (Muthappan) (@LEmerson21) November 29, 2019
— European Football Nerd (@theeuropeannerd) November 30, 2019
HES STAYING FOREVER!!!!!
— You’re not wrong. (@The930Garcia) November 29, 2019
LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOO
— James (@JMC_OfficiaI) November 29, 2019
YES pic.twitter.com/12iVj6a3ay
— Edward St Leger (@edward_leger) November 30, 2019
As Guardiola says, though, a lot will depend on his work and whether he feels satisfied with the effort of the players and what he can get out of them. Things change quickly in football but his success at the Etihad would surely suggest that the club would offer him a longer deal if he wants it.
The City boss’s current contract ends in 2021 so with 18 months remaining, chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak may want to get started on negotiations soon.