Manchester City have confirmed that Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension.
The 53-year-old’s contract was due to expire at the end of the season, leading to speculation that Guardiola’s ninth season in charge of City could be his last.
However, Guardiola has now put pen to paper on a two-year extension, committing his future until the summer of 2027 and taking his time at the club beyond a decade.
Guardiola said: “I felt like I couldn’t leave now, simple as that,” he said in his interview with City Studios after signing the new deal.
“Don’t ask me why. Maybe the four defeats are the reason and I felt I couldn’t leave. I felt the club still wanted me or I had the fact that we were together and that’s the reason why we signed.
Guardiola led City to a fourth successive Premier League title last season, a year after the treble-winning campaign which earned the club a maiden Champions League trophy.
It was a relatively slow start to the season, however, with Guardiola losing four matches in a row for the first time as manager. City sit second in the Premier League, five points behind Liverpool.
“First of all, it’s because we won a lot, otherwise we don’t stay 11 years, not even here, in a place where I feel love,” Guardiola continued.
“Here it’s a business and you have to win and have a contract but I know if you don’t win I might not continue. It’s just the feeling that at that moment, it’s done, the club knows it and that moment was not felt.
“I love being here. I love my job. I love being the manager of this club.
“I said this many times many years ago, as soon as I no longer have this feeling, even under contract, I will call my CEO and tell him that the best for the club at this time moment is that I have to leave.
“I don’t have that feeling at the moment and that’s why I extended it a little longer.”
Guardiola spent four seasons in charge of Barcelona, winning three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice, before leading Bayern Munich to Bundesliga success in each of those three seasons in Germany.
This is now the fourth contract extension he has signed at City, having agreed new deals in May 2018, November 2020 and November 2022.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “Like all City fans, I am delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester City continues; allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the gaming landscape.
“His thirst for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of this will continue to be our players and coaching staff, our club culture and English football as a whole.
“This renewal will take Pep beyond a decade of coaching at Manchester City and the opportunity to continue to rewrite the managerial record books.”