Pep Guardiola 'AGREES to sign new one-year contract at Manchester City '

Pep Guardiola has reportedly signed a new contract with Manchester City.

Guardiola, 53, has enjoyed a stunning tenure with City since joining in 2016, winning the Premier League in six of his eight full seasons.

The Spaniard, who previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, also lifted the Champions League in 2023 and has won 18 honours in total.

There had been significant speculation surrounding his future, with Guardiola's contract set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

However, according to The Athletic, Guardiola has ended the rumours by penning a new one-year contract with the option for a second year.

The report goes on to add that the 53-year-old's extension will be confirmed in the next few days.

It will take his time with the club past a decade in what is a remarkable stint of longevity for a manager, although he remains the second-longest serving manager in the English game behind Harrogate Town's Simon Weaver.

The news comes during what has arguably been the most difficult time for Guardiola during his decorated tenure at the Etihad, with City having lost their last four matches - the worst run in the Spaniard's time at the club.

There had been many who thought Guardiola would leave City at the end of the campaign alongside director of football Txiki Begiristain, who is a close friend and someone that brought him to the club eight years ago.

Guardiola had admitted 'a part of me is leaving' when quizzed on the Begiristain news last month, but there was a feeling at the time among those at City that he was also not yet ready to close the door on staying.

Guardiola is renowned for leaving his contract talks late, with his previous deal being signed in November 2022, which was just over six months before it expired, so this new reported deal follows the same pattern.

In fact, Guardiola penned that deal on November 19, with this contract two years later being signed on the same day.

Speaking recently after the third defeat of the four on the recent run, Guardiola refuted suggestions that he was no longer up for the challenge despite the difficult run his side find themselves in.

'It is a tough challenge, but I am here,' Guardiola said. 'It will be a tough season — we knew that from the start. But this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players and try it.'

He later added: 'More than ever, I want to lift up the team and return them to their top level.'

With Guardiola's contract entering its final months, he was linked to the England job before Thomas Tuchel was appointed, with Mail Sport reporting at the time how the Spaniard was viewed as the FA's dream candidate to be the Three Lions manager for the 2026 World Cup.

However, he is now set to stay at City, with Guardiola's future having been a topic of discussion at press conferences and among fans in recent months.

Speaking in October, Guardiola had insisted that City have put him under no pressure to decide his future.

'I want to be really, really convinced that it's the best for the club,' he said. 'I will not delay an action knowing that I am creating a problem for the club.

'If I feel there is a problem right now, I will take a decision as quickly as possible. But I don't have that feeling because they understand the reasons that I have.'

The likes of Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim had been candidates linked with replacing Guardiola, with the Catalan previously insisting he was happy to offer his input into the next boss.

He said: 'I'm pretty sure that the club have an option when Txiki should leave and they have options when Pep will leave.

'Sooner or later it's going to happen and they are prepared. If they ask me my opinion, I will give my opinion.

'But it's not my job. The decision will be taken for them, not for me. We've shared unbelievable moments together. But it has to be the club. It's the best.

'So I would say the new sporting director, the moment I'm not here anymore, has to choose his manager.

'Txiki leaving is a part of me leaving. The architect. He will be missed. He made me incredibly balanced in my job, because I am so energetic when I am going bad, I want to destroy everything.'All the time he said, "see you tomorrow, take a coffee".'

Meanwhile, back in October, City fans crowdfunded a banner at the Etihad for the home game against Fulham that read: 'Pep Guardiola, we want you to stay', in his native Catalan.

Guardiola, who has been credited with transforming English football, is the first manager to win four consecutive top flight titles in England.

In total, he has won 353 of his 490 games in charge of City at an astonishing rate of 72.04 per cent.

City currently sit second in the Premier League after 11 games, five points behind Liverpool.

Meanwhile, they are languishing in 10th in the Champions League League Stage, and return to action on Saturday when they entertain Tottenham.