Pep Guardiola was asked about his Manchester City future ahead of the final day of Premier League fixtures on Sunday, as the Blues look for a fourth title in succession.
Pep Guardiola says Khaldoon respected his wish to take his time pondering a new contract (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola insists Sunday’s final day will have no bearing on his personal future at Manchester City, with the club eyeing history in the Premier League.
City can become the first side to win the English top flight for four seasons in a row with three points against West Ham and Guardiola has challenged his side to embrace the pressure of making history, telling his side they will never be in this position again.
Asked if he will still have the hunger to be back next season for the final year of his current City contract, Guardiola gave a short, sweet answer on the eve of the final day of the Premier League season.
“I have a contract, I want to be here next season, yes,” he said, referring to his deal that will expire at the end of next season in the summer of 2025.
And while Guardiola was less decisive on what could happen in the upcoming transfer window, refusing to answer before the final day, he did say the West Ham result and FA Cup final would naturally have a bearing on the decisions of some players and their futures.
“I don’t know next season. We have to see how we finish, sometimes the decision depends on how we finish the season,” he said.
“The player who has a good season, is already done. Nothing changes how the season is in the last two games. We have to wait. Now I’m not thinking for one second about next season.”
However, Guardiola did offer a stern defence of Ederson, who will miss the final two games of the season with injury. Stefan Ortega’s cameo against Tottenham on Tuesday renewed calls for the German to get more game-time, and he has admitted he could look to leave this summer.
But Guardiola reiterated that Ederson remains No.1 and will be going forward – dashing hopes of Ortega increasing his minutes next season.
(Image: 2022 Getty Images)
“People talk about the incredible save [Ortega from Heung-min Son] because it is,” he began. “But Eddy has done it many times before with Son the same action and saved it.
“Do you know why we won the Champions League last season? Ederson, in Madrid, made incredible saves at 1-0 down or 1-1, an incredible save for the header against Benzema. He was the key player in the final to win. We cannot define this period without Eddy. Impossible.
“It was a strange period for Eddy, four times injured. A keeper four times with incredible knocks? I have never seen that. Today we have two top keepers, before was clear for first keeper and second, the distance was so big. Everybody knows. The team knows it and everybody knows it that Ederson is the first keeper but the distance is not [big]. When the distance is too big, the team cannot compete.”