Time for Pep to sign new City deal?
PEP Guardiola’s contract is City’s priority as the Premier League champions step up attempts to secure the futures of key figures in their title triumph.
Ederson’s two-year extension this week – less than 12 months after signing for the club – was a statement of intent.
New contracts for Kevin de Bruyne, Nicolas Otamendi, David Silva and Fernandinho have already been agreed, while Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling are both in line to get extended deals.
But Guardiola’s future has been on the agenda of chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano for months, with talks set for this summer.
The Catalan has one year left on his deal, but the club remains confident he will extend that by at least another 12 months.
He insists he will stay for as long as he has the energy to work with such intensit, but neither he nor City will want the issue to be allowed to cloud the defence of their title.
M.E.N. Sport considers the key factors in what could be the most important signing of the summer...
WHEN DOES HIS CONTRACT EXPIRE? GUARDIOLA is entering the final 12 months of the three-year deal he signed 2013.
WHEN WILL NEGOTIATIONS TAKE PLACE? ANY time now. Guardiola has refused to discuss a deal until entering the final year – just as he did at Bayern Munich.
With the season wrapped up, he plans to go on holiday and will also carry out some media work during the World Cup. But he promised talks would begin in the summer.
WHO WILL BE INVOLVED? GUARDIOLA’S brother and agent Pere will negotiate with Soriano and Khaldoon.
But any discussion will also include the man himself, who describes City’s hierarchy as his friends. Pere has been in Manchester this month for City Football Group purposes, due to his share in sister club Girona.
It’s likely discussions over his brother’s future have already been discussed on some level.
HOW LONG WILL HE SIGN FOR? SOURCES close to Guardiola insisted right up to recent weeks that he is still to decide on his plans.
He is understood to have told the club’s hierarchy that he would need longer than three years to achieve his ambitions. But having won the title and Carabao Cup this season, he may believe he’s ahead of schedule after his second season.
He’s never stayed in a job for longer than four years – at Barcelona – so anything longer than a 12-month extension would be a first.
He’s spoken recently of feeling healthy and happy in Manchester, which is a good sign for City.
HOW MUCH WILL HE EARN? MONEY will not be an issue – as far as City are concerned. They are prepared to substantially reward the man they believe will make them the dominant force in European football. So he can expect a hike on a deal reportedly worth in excess of £15m a year.
IS HE SETTLED IN MANCHESTER? GUARDIOLA has immersed himself in the city since taking over at the Etihad.
He has bought a city centre apartment and socialises in popular night spots.
But the fact he also invested in property in Munich is evidence enough that it takes more than bricks and mortar to
keep him in one place.
WHAT ARE HIS OPTIONS IF HE DOESN’T SIGN A NEW DEAL? HE won’t be short of offers, that’s for sure. Just about every club on the planet would be beating down a path to his door if he became a free agent. Guardiola has ruled out ever taking over at Barca again – and it is hard to imagine him managing another Spanish club. Paris St Germain could appeal in
He’s spoken recently of feeling healthy and happy in Manchester, which is a good sign for City
James Robson
the future – or a move to Italy, where he played in his later years.
International football is another option, with Argentina a temptation. But a sabbatical would seem the likeliest move when he departs the Etihad, just as he did following his Barca exit.
WHAT HAS HE SAID ABOUT HIS CONTRACT? ON TALKS
“I have one more year and next year I will be here.
“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.”
ON CITY FANS
“I feel so comfortable here. We feel we are loved. It’s nice.”
ON THE FUTURE
“Now is the time to enjoy what we’ve done this season.
“It’s not the time to talk of next season.
“This summer we’ll watch the World Cup on the sofa – we’ll have some good beer, good red wine, and enjoy what we have done. Then we’ll try to come back stronger than this season.”