Blues keen to deal Pep in for new contract talks soon
PEP Guardiola insists summer transfer business will come before his own contract talks.
The Catalan says he will hold ‘fluent’ talks with City’s hierarchy over a new deal – but squad strengthening remains his priority.
Guardiola’s brother and agent, Pere, has been in Manchester this week on City Football Group business, due to his stake in sister club Girona.
But he will be integral to contract negotiations as chief executive, Ferran Soriano, and chairman, Khaldoon al Mubarak, try to tie down the long-term future of their manager.
Soriano has spent months drawing up a contract proposal, with City determined to convince Guardiola to sign on for at least one more year.
And after seeing the manner in which he has immersed himself in Manchester there is the hope he could make City his longest job yet – exceeding the four years he spent at his beloved Barcelona.
Guardiola alluded to how smooth talks should go – referring to the club’s hierarchy as his ‘friends.’
But he was also clear that his summer business comes first as he aims to recruit a midfielder and a forward this summer.
“I have one more year and next year I will be here,” he said.
“Now it’s time to finish well and then start to talk about what we have to do next season, who is staying and who we have to buy.
“I’m not finishing in two weeks or one month – I have one more year.
“In football one more year is a lot and we’re going to talk to the club.
“They are friends of mine – Ferran, Txiki (Begiristain), Khaldoon – and we have time to talk fluently about what is best for the club and us.”
A new contract will cement his bond with both the club and the community. Guardiola has taken Manchester to his heart – buying property in the city centre and socialising in a number of popular night spots.
He has spoken of feeling closer than ever to the club’s supporters after delivering the Premier League title and the Carabao Cup in his second year at the Etihad. And with a youthful team and the promise of more funds to strengthen it in the summer, the belief is his work is certainly far from complete. That he is so eager to begin work on freshening his squad is another positive sign. Jorginho could become his first signing of the summer, with City making their interest in the Napoli midfielder known. The Italian is one of two additions Guardiola wants to make, with a versatile forward also a target.