The Independent
·21 November 2024
The Independent
·21 November 2024
Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at Manchester City until 2027.
The Catalan, whose previous deal was due to expire next summer, will take his stay at the Etihad Stadium to 11 seasons after saying he had “everything” he could wish for at City.
Guardiola, the most successful coach in City’s history, is already the longest-serving manager currently working in the Premier League and has put pen to paper even though his long-time ally, director of football Txiki Begiristain, will leave next summer, and the club could face huge penalties if found guilty in the hearing into the 130 charges the Premier League has levelled at them.
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Guardiola has won six Premier League titles in seven years and claimed the Champions League trophy with City (Action Images via Reuters)
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Guardiola’s side are currently second in the Premier League and trying to win a fifth title in a row (Action Images via Reuters)
But the former Barcelona manager, who has won 18 trophies already at City, has set his sights on securing more silverware.
He said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here. “I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much. Hopefully now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Guardiola, who arrived after leaving Bayern Munich in 2016, has won six Premier League titles, becoming the first manager to win the English title in four consecutive seasons, two FA Cups, a joint record four League Cups and the first Champions League in the club’s history.
He won a Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 2023 and a domestic Treble in 2019, while in 2018, City became the first team to secure 100 points in a top-flight English season.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said he hopes Guardiola continues to rewrite the record books in his time in Manchester.
He added: “Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester City will continue; allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
“His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large. “This renewal will take Pep beyond a decade of coaching Manchester City and the opportunity to continue to rewrite the managerial record books.”