Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is confident he will find the “right solution” for the club and manager Pep Guardiola amid speculation the Catalan will leave when his contract expires in 2025.
Guardiola has spent eight years at City, his longest stint at any club, surpassing the five at Barcelona (including his time in charge of their B team) and three at Bayern Munich.
Speaking in May – after City claimed their fourth successive Premier League title – he said: “The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying. We have talked with the club – my feeling is that I want to stay now.
“I will stay next season and during the season we will talk. But eight or nine years…we will see. I didn’t expect to stay eight or nine years. I expected three, four or five but not much. I cannot believe it. It’s the Premier League. It’s the toughest one.”
Al Mubarak says it is not the first time the question of Guardiola’s contract has been raised and he is confident they will find an agreement that suits both parties.
Speaking in his end-of-season address, he told the club’s official website: ‘We have had this conversation many times before, you know that, over the years of the contract.
“Pep has always been fully committed to this club, fully committed to every contract that he has signed with us.
“This decision on his future is always a decision that we will take together, and I have no doubt that we will find, as always we have done, the right solution that works for Pep and works for us.”
‘Once that sinks in you appreciate the magnitude of what was achieved’ 🏆🏆🏆🏆 – Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak
Watch the full interview 👇
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 5, 2024
What has Guardiola brought to the Etihad?
City have enjoyed an unprecedented period of success under Guardiola, winning the Premier League in six of the last seven seasons, as well as claiming two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and one Champions League.
“It’s hard to put into words what Pep has given this organisation, this club,” said Al Mubarak.
“You can look at just records, for history’s sake and there I think he’s racked up every record, almost, in the book. And these are records that I think will be very, very hard in the future to ever break. From winning six out of the last seven Premier Leagues, to winning four in a row, to the number of wins, the records go on and on and on.
“I think what his impact has been on football. English football has changed with the evolution to the type of football that Pep has brought into the league.”
