Pep Guardiola’s deal at Manchester City is up in 2023, so this could be his final season if he doesn’t renew his contract. And while the 51-year-old insisted in August that he’s happy at the Etihad and has no plans to leave, rumours have persisted that his future might depend on how City fare in the Champions League.
Alan Hutton is unsure whether that will be a factor, however, as he believes Guardiola is happy in Manchester despite his failure in Europe. City lost in the 2021 Champions League final and were knocked out of the semi-finals in 2022, so they’ve come close in the last two seasons. And City they have one of Europe’s best strikers in Erling Haaland, they could go all the way.
Where will Manchester City finish in the Premier League this season?
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th or lower
He told Football Insider: “I am not sure (if Guardiola would leave). I think he is just on the cusp of (winning) it. He is not far. He will feel better this year knowing that (Erling) Haaland has come in and done well. He could be the deciding factor in them winning it.
“If they don’t, I think they are still searching for it, so (Guardiola) has unfinished business – they will want to keep him around. He looks happy and (City) are still progressing as a team, so there is still something going on there. Until he wins that trophy, I can’t see him moving on.”
City have had a dream start to their Champions League campaign this season, beating Sevilla 4-0, Borussia Dortmund 2-1 and Copenhagen 5-0. They’re one win away from sealing their place in the knockout round and could end up topping the group with a 100% record.
As for Guardiola’s future, the City manager did say earlier this month that plans have been made for his eventual departure, but it remains to be seen when he’ll actually leave. Winning the Champions League was the big objective when Guardiola was initially appointed manager, but will his contract be renewed if he fails this season? Hutton doesn’t think his future hinges on European success, but it will be a disappointment if he left the club without winning the competition once.
In other news, Man City dealt blow as Dani Perez signs new deal
The Vital Network is unique from other football content providers as all the sites are run by the fans, for the fans. We are looking for a writer to join our Manchester City site. If you can write well-constructed, thought-provoking opinion pieces alongside reporting on current events and breaking news then I want to hear from you. Email paddy@snack-media.com.
Can you name these Man City players from the 2000s? Test your knowledge, take the quiz and challenge your friends and family to beat your score