Pep Guardiola has denied that he will quit Manchester City at the end of his current contract in 2023 and even hinted he may stay another “five years” at the Etihad.
The City manager did confirm that he will take a break from football when his time in charge of the club comes to a close.
But he has denied reports, that emerged from Brazil this week after he “appeared” at a business conference via Zoom, that he has already determined his departure will definitely come at the end of his current contract in under two years.
Guardiola said: “I am not thinking to leave after two years. I can leave maybe in two months when the results are not good or the organisation is tired of me or I cannot handle better the players.
“I can leave in three months, like I can leave in five years. What I said in my Zoom connection with the people with Brazil is after my period with Manchester City I will take a break, that is for sure.
“It can be in one month, in two years, in three years, in four years, in five years.”
Guardiola, 50, arrived at the Etihad in 2016 and has just embarked on his sixth season in charge of the club – comfortably his longest spell in management.
He sat out the 2012-13 season, after leaving Barcelona and before taking over at Bayern Munich, and clearly has a similar target in mind when he leaves City.
But Guardiola insists that he is fully committed to his employers and has not ruled out staying beyond the seven years for which he is currently contracted.
He said: “Right now I don’t have reasons to leave but I am not thinking in two seasons I am going to leave Manchester City.
“I am more than committed to this season, to what we are trying to do with these players, to do it better, especially play better that is my target this season, that is for sure.
“When I am finished I will take a rest a little bit, 12 or 13 years without a short stop and I want to do something else and after that it will be maybe a new team after the break or it will be a national team if someone wants me
“But I didn’t say after two years I will finish my period in Manchester City. I will say that seven is many years but I explained it, maybe my English is not perfect. But I repeat the answer. I don’t know what will happen. What I said is when I finish my time at City – seven years is a lot – I will take a break.
“After the break, they asked if I’d like to train a national team. I repeat again, I can move in two or three months or maybe two years, maybe four or five more years – I don’t know. I cannot answer.”
These Guardiola’s comments on his future has prompt Plenty of Sky Blues to react on social media.
He's not thinking that mean he gonna enjoy the last 2 season with city, that is probably what he means
— Sa8 #Free🇵🇸 (@Sa8_City) August 27, 2021
Pep's never straight forward
— TOnY✌️ (@tonyychris) August 27, 2021
You cant believe anything this man says😭
— Sam (@Sam__FCB) August 27, 2021
i’ve stopped listening to a word this man says i don’t even think he knows what he’s thinking himself
— heretotriggeryou (@yeye93514791) August 27, 2021
Pep knows how to mess with people's mind, same thing he's doing concerning Ronaldo's transfer
— Prince Adeleye (@doublePrince) August 27, 2021
As we said, this was a conference, a money one, and it had nothing to do with City, and only 🇧🇷! Pep 💙 City!
— City Xtra Português (@City_XtraPT) August 27, 2021
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