'Pep puts enough pressure on himself' - No rush on new contract for Man City manager, insists chairman Khaldoon

Posted Tuesday, May 31, 2022 by Goal.com

The Spanish manager has himself stressed he won't be signing a new deal at Etihad Stadium any time soon

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has said there's no rush on getting manager Pep Guardiola to sign a contract extension.

Guardiola's current deal runs until the end of next season, and he has said he won't consider a new deal until 2023.

Despite winning the Premier League again this term, pressure is mounting on Guardiola to lead Manchester City to a Champions League triumph.

What did Khaldoon say about Guardiola

"You don’t need to put any extra pressure on Pep, he puts enough pressure on himself for everyone," the chairman told the club website.

"It is the exact opposite I try to bring back the pressure because I think he puts too much pressure on himself. The pressure is not of winning this competition or that competition. We are all in it together.

"[Owner] Sheikh Mansour looks at the game understands the game and understands winning and losing very very well which is why his ethos, his philosophy I have tried to instil on this organisation and what we have had these last games which is positive constructive forward leaning, always pushing forward.

"We approach every season to win and to try to win every competition we compete in. That is the mindset that has been the case over the last 10 years.

"We try to win every competition we play and I think part if when you are asking about Pep you cannot argue every competition from the Champions League to the Premier League to the FA Cup. We show up every game with full intention to give it everything we have to win every game. With that you can see the results."

Khaldoon added on Guardiola: "Pep has never stayed as long as he's stayed here with any club, be it Barcelona or Bayern Munich. So, the question is perfectly valid.

"It is perfectly valid last year and three years ago, and of course this year. It is a partnership that has done wonders in years.

"It is approaching its seventh year and next year is going to be an exciting chapter of his partnership and we're enjoying every moment of it. We're achieving great things together and this conversation will be had at the right time, at the right pace, and with the pace, time and framework that works for Pep."

Man City's summer strategy

The club have already announced the signings of Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland, but additional incomings are still expected.

"We've been very deliberate over the years in how we freshen up the squad, how we continuously improve the team very deliberately and then how we infuse it with talent from the academy," said Khaldoon.

"I can confirm that there will be more players coming in. We are looking to strengthen the team in the areas we need strengthening.

"Every season some players leave and we have to refresh the team. We always look at improving and strengthening. We've made two very important additions already but I anticipate we will be doing a couple more."

The chairman added that he hopes all transfers will be completed at the very beginning of the window.