Pep Guardiola has extended his contract as manager of English champions Manchester City for another two seasons.
There had been speculation that the 53-year-old City manager's career could be over as the club faces an uncertain future due to an ongoing hearing into 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules, AFP reported.
The Citizens are currently on a four-game losing streak in all competitions - the worst of Guardiola's managerial career. In the Premier League, Manchester City are second in the table, five points behind leaders Liverpool.
However, reports emerged on 19 November that Guardiola, who took over City in 2016 and has since won a total of 18 trophies in all competitions, including six Premier League titles, would stay.
This comes despite City's director of football Tsiki Begiristain, a close ally of Guardiola, having already confirmed his departure at the end of the campaign.
"I can't leave now," the Catalan boss told the club's website after agreeing to stay at the Etihad until 2027.
"Maybe the four defeats were the reason why I felt I couldn't leave," the manager said.
Guardiola, who has been asked about his future many times in recent weeks, added:
"Since the start of the season I've been thinking a lot, to be honest, I thought this season should be the last. But at the same time, the situation comes, the problems we've had in the last month, I felt now was not the time to leave. I don't want to let the club down, I would say," the City manager said. | BGNES
