Pep Guardiola: Man City to hold contract talks with manager in summer

By Simon StoneBBC Sport

Last updated on 17 December 2017.From the section Man City467

Man City 'one of the best teams ever'

Manchester City will hold contract talks with manager Pep Guardiola in the summer as they aim to build a dynasty to rival that of Manchester United.

United won eight of the first 11 Premier Leagues titles under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and City would like to replicate that dominance.

They beat Tottenham 4-1 on Saturday to extend their record winning run in the Premier League to 16 games and are 11 points clear of United at the top.

Guardiola's contract expires in 2019.

No trophy - but City chiefs never doubted Guardiola

Guardiola, who previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, became City manager in the summer of 2016.

In his debut season, the team finished third in the Premier League, were knocked out of the FA Cup in the semi-finals and exited both the Champions League and EFL Cup at the last-16 stage.

Chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak described the season as "disappointing", but the club believe the 46-year-old is now reaping the benefit of that campaign.

As well as topping the Premier League, his team visit Leicester in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, and face Swiss side FC Basel in the last 16 of the Champions League in February.

BBC Sport has been told the City executives never doubted Guardiola would succeed, even though last season was the first during his career in which he did not win a trophy.

Their feeling is the Spaniard underestimated the intensity of the Premier League and endured intense frustration as he wrestled with what he regards as the greatest challenge of his career.

After Guardiola revamped the playing side of the club at Bayern, City are extremely confident he will stay to continue his impressive work in Manchester.

Whether he is able to bring Champions League success remains to be seen, with City's best result so far reaching the semi-finals in 2016.

But those in power at City have noted with some admiration that Real Madrid have won the competition in three of the past four seasons, and are keeping that aspiration in mind.

Analysis: Can Man City eclipse Premier League greats?

Guardiola's transfer-market work bearing fruit

Guardiola's transfer dealings since he became City manager have surprised some, particularly his relatively quick decision Joe Hart was not part of his plans.

The idea the England number one - a veteran of two Premier League-winning campaigns - could not meet the manager's demands for a ball-playing goalkeeper met with from resistance inside the club.

However, Guardiola's insistence held sway, though he privately concedes his initial choice to replace him - former Barcelona keeper Claudio Bravo - failed.

The club signed Ederson Moraes - who some in City's hierarchy were not familiar with - from Benfica for £35m in the summer.

The Brazilian has conceded just 12 goals in 18 league games while offering a calming presence on the ball.

Another surprise was City's willingness to spend £47.5m to prise John Stones from Everton in August 2016, a deal which made the Yorkshireman the second most expensive defender of all time.

Stones struggled initially, and was dropped after a 4-2 defeat at Leicester on 10 December.

At the time, the 23-year-old doubted he was capable of meeting the exacting standards Guardiola expects from his central defenders.

The Catalan does not want his defenders to play long balls out of defence, instead demanding they use short passes to rotate possession through the team.

But Stones started 11 of the first 12 Premier League games this season before getting injured against Leicester.

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467 comments

Comment posted by Bacon, at 23:18 17 Dec 2017
I'm a Doncaster Rovers fan, so I come in peace all you City and United fans. I must admit though, seeing United fans crying because City have spent money... Manchester Bought the league numerous times and regularly spent more money than any team in Europe. You should understand your own history properly before dishing it out to City and Chelsea fans.
Comment posted by D1710848057671, at 23:11 17 Dec 2017
11, I suppose Sir Alex won all those titles on pennies huh? They were the richest team in Britain for 30 years up to Abramovitch's era, and regularly outspent their rivals, and in the last 5 years have spent the same, if not more, as City and Chelsea. Barca, for all their cash, have not matched his reign since, he improved Munich, and has improved City. He is also outperforming the 'special one.'
Comment posted by User0700237763, at 22:59 17 Dec 2017
Managers are paid to make decisions and in these transfers no one else was picking them and no one else agreed with them and the money spent. He was right the pundits and fans were wrong. This is why the man earns millions as a manager and we do not
Comment posted by minecalm, at 22:58 17 Dec 2017
No matter how good a bus parker you are ....you wont stop this team
Comment posted by footyfan94, at 23:38 17 Dec 2017
Don't get me wrong think this City side could be one of the best ever but Shearer claiming they are already one of the best sides ever is ridiculous. They've not even won the champions league yet and in order to be considered as one of the best ever they will definitely need to win the champions league and dominate their league not just for one season but dominate it for at least 3 or 4 years
Comment posted by tashyboy, at 22:59 17 Dec 2017
Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is for Pep to sign a new longer deal.
Comment posted by Fergies Dons of 83, at 23:00 17 Dec 2017
Hats off to the guy, wish he was at OT
Comment posted by IronFistCliveMyers, at 08:30 18 Dec 2017
If my club had shelled out £165m on Pogba and Lukaku, and then played the kind of joyless drudge United serve up on weekly basis, I would probably be bitter and angry too. Who wouldn't be?

You can easily assess the merits of both coaches and come to the basic conclusion that one loves football and wants others to share in the joy, the other hates football and doesn't care who knows about it.
Comment posted by User0871096436, at 23:29 17 Dec 2017
@7 stop living in the past! City are the new utd, easy to just deal with it! Times change, ed backed the wrong horse in mourinho! Pep was the manager every utd fan would have wanted!!! Admit it!
Comment posted by Sergio9320, at 23:28 17 Dec 2017
Great news.

When United fans ask why rival fans clog up their HYS's, this is why. Read your comments back. No wonder everyone's an Abu.
Comment posted by Stephen, at 03:10 18 Dec 2017
City fans are obviously in denial about it, and you can't really blame them, but the truth is that this money comes from an undemocratic regime which exploits national resources to maintain political power and wealth/privilege. A superb team which plays wonderful attacking football is perfect PR for them - why do you think they're doing this? It's not because they've always loved Manchester City!
Comment posted by Paparizla, at 02:46 18 Dec 2017
If he signs a longer contract and wins the champions league and the PL two seasons running then let’s revisit this question, until then however let’s enjoy the football and good luck to pep as this is all a bit premature by comparison to Man U/Arsenal etc.
Comment posted by User0982595093, at 03:10 18 Dec 2017
Lets face it, which neutral wasn't sick of Man Utd by the end of Fergie's reign? A great manager who achieved great things yes. But the blatant cheating of Fergie time, the millions of smug gloryhunters infesting every town in England, the endless media fawning.

Be it Chelsea, City, Leicester etc, thank god we finally got a change of record. And Guardiola is a genius.
Comment posted by Oak Tree Barn, at 02:27 18 Dec 2017
@134 Rick

Care to explain why or are you just upset and throwing your toys out of the pram?

I’ve stated facts and quoted Amnesty International. Please feel free to prove me and them wrong

The UAE ignore human rights. The UAE own Manchester City. Fact
Comment posted by D1710937006386, at 05:25 18 Dec 2017
Alan Shearer; now there's a genius who prefers the comfort as a no pressure pundit to managing.
As a player, he was a goal scorer who didn't care about elbowing any player daft enough to challenge him in the air.
He sucked up to refs + officials + so has nothing to teach + got away fouling
All he knows is to spout his nonsense.
City are an excellent team, + it doesn't need a cheat to tell us.
Comment posted by Finkelstein, at 08:00 18 Dec 2017
Guardiola is a 'coach' in the true meaning of the word. He has developed the players in the squad and got the best out of them Sterling is a good example. His philosophy is to play attacking and entertaining football. Compare this mantra to that of the 'bus driver' who has no coaching skills save for 'park the bus' and lump the ball long ball game. Hats off to Guardiola's winning mentality.
Comment posted by User0922830520, at 06:53 18 Dec 2017
United Fans = LOL
Comment posted by User0457730473, at 03:28 18 Dec 2017
@141 Paparizla

City fans will be very happy to win the league on goal difference.

All this talk of greatness by the BBC is nonsense....much too early for Guardiola after one and a bit seasons.....remember it took Alex Ferguson 7 years to win the league and 13 years to win the European cup, and he wasn't short of a few bob.
Comment posted by Agnes Hart, at 07:35 18 Dec 2017
If City continue to dominate then I think Mourinho will be off to Paris. He's on a hiding to nothing with his old fashioned counter attack and park the bus tactics. The pressure will be on him for his team to match City's attractive attacking play, but I'm not convinced he's got the will or the skills to play like that.
Comment posted by ziggy played guitar, at 23:04 17 Dec 2017
It's all a bit premature - the league is not even won yet. Hard to see them not winning though