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Pep Guardiola says talks with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak will decide his future as reports continue linking him with a shock exit.
Is this the last dance for Guardiola at City? (AP)Is this the last dance for Guardiola at City? (AP)
Pep Guardiola has finally addressed the swirling speculation surrounding his future at Manchester City.
And notably, he did not shut down the rumours.
After City’s 1-1 draw against Bournemouth officially ended their hopes of retaining the Premier League title, Guardiola admitted that discussions over his future are imminent.
The Spaniard, who still has one year remaining on his contract, revealed he will meet with City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in the coming days before deciding whether he will continue at the Etihad beyond this season.
“I talk with my chairman first,” Guardiola said.
“And after that, when I talk with my chairman, we decide (whether) to have one more year, we talk everything, we will decide.”
Asked if those conversations would happen after Sunday’s final league game against Aston Villa, Guardiola replied: “No, we talk in these next days.”
An Era Potentially Nearing Its End
Several British outlets, including BBC Sporthave reported that Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City at the end of the campaign.
Former City assistant and ex-Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has already emerged as the leading candidate to replace him.
Guardiola, however, appeared reluctant to fully engage with the speculation before the season concludes.
“I’m the happiest man on the planet to be in this club,” he said.
“This club is extraordinary. The season is over for us so we want to arrive in the last game with our fans.”
Even on Monday, Guardiola rolled his eyes when pressed again about his future before reminding reporters: “I’ve said so many times, I have one more year.”
A Decade That Changed English Football
If this truly is Guardiola’s final chapter at City, he leaves behind one of the most transformative managerial eras English football has ever seen.
Since arriving in 2016 from Bayern Munich, Guardiola has won 17 major trophies with City, including six Premier League titles and the historic treble in 2022-23.
His side became the first club in English football history to win four consecutive top-flight league titles and the first to reach 100 Premier League points in a single season.
Beyond the trophies, Guardiola fundamentally reshaped English football’s tactical identity, popularising possession-heavy, build-from-the-back football across every level of the game.
Asked whether a stand at the Etihad should eventually bear his name, Guardiola smiled.
“The important thing in our lives is when you look back, you can say, ‘Wow.’ You can look with a big smile and say that was good.”
(with AP inputs)
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