Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Manchester City until 2023. He joined City in 2016 after four- and three-year spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively.
Pep had this to say about his new deal:
I have the desire to help with all the fantastic players we have for the next years, especially for the fans and we will feel proud of the way we play and the way we win.
I would say that at this time, the reason I signed the contract is for our chairman. Especially for the conversations that we had. He convinced me that still we have to move forward, to try to do it, to continue what we have done in these incredible last four years together.
Trying to do it knowing how tough it will be in the Premier League and in Europe and the desire to, if it’s possible, make a step forward, and this club to maintain the level we have achieved these last seasons.
I assume almost all City fans will be delighted with this news. There’s no reason to replace him, no obvious better option. Bottom line, he is one of the world’s best football managers. Still, Pep hasn’t quite seemed himself for a season or two. Something feels slightly off. How much hunger does he have to keep winning trophies in Manchester? At 49, has he settled for the safe option? We’ll wait and see.
I can’t see City winning the Premier League this season, but with a bit of luck they could win the Champions League, especially as the strongest teams – Bayern, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool – are not at their very best. It’s easy to forget that Guardiola has put eight trophies in City’s cabinet since 2016, a formidable record.