The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying – Pep Guardiola on his Manchester City future

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hinted that the next season could be his last with the club. The veteran led the Cityzens to their record fourth consecutive Premier League title as they defeated West Ham by 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Under Guardiola, this is the sixth Premier League crown for Manchester City in the last eight years. Guardiola has got the best out of his players and the Sky Blues have come up with a collective show. 

Guardiola’s men won 28 out of the 38 matches to finish at the numero uno position with a total of 91 points. The Spaniard has a contract with the club until the 2025 season but indicated he might not renew it.

“The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying,” Guardiola said.

“We have talked with the club and my feeling is that I want to stay now. I will stay next season and during the season we will talk. But after eight or nine years, we will see.”

Guardiola’s records speak for themselves as he won 15 trophies with Manchester City in the last eight years. However, the legendary manager said he is tired and will need extra motivation for the next season.

“I have a contract, I’m still here,” he said. “Some of the moments I’m a bit tired, but some of the moments I love and we are here winning games, looking good with new players.

“I start to think about, ‘No one has done four in a row, why don’t we try?’ And now I feel it’s done, so what next?

“Right now I don’t know what exactly the motivation is to do it because it’s difficult to find it when everything is done.”

Guardiola lauded Arsenal for breathing down their neck throughout the season. Mikel Arteta’s team finished in second place with 89 points.

“Before, it was Liverpool to push our limits, and now it was Arsenal,” Guardiola said.

“I want to congratulate them from the depths of my heart, for Mikel, his staff and players. They have had an incredible season. I feel it and they push us to our best like before. We got the message from Mikel and his players. We have to make the right decisions in the next years because they are here to stay. “