Guardiola responds to Barcelona rumours as Man City ‘agree’ on ‘ideal successor’ with Pep to ‘quit’

Pep Guardiola has shut down any talk of a return to Barcelona as Manchester City reportedly prepare for the Spanish manager to ‘quit’.Guardiola’s long-term future at the Etihad has been called into question after he admitted he is “closer to leaving than staying” during City’s Premier League title celebrations.

“The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying,” he said. “We have talked with the club – my feeling is that I want to stay now.

“I will stay next season and during the season we will talk. But eight or nine years – we will see.”

Should the 54-year-old ‘quit’, he will have plenty of suitors, with Barcelona deemed to be a realistic option.

However, when asked if the door is closed on a return to Barcelona in the future, Guardiola said: “Yes, it is closed.”