Pep Guardiola has admitted that he is "closer to leaving than staying" at Manchester City after leading the club to a record fourth consecutive Premier League title.
The 53-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, has spent the last eight seasons at the Etihad Stadium and has won a total of 17 trophies in that time.
Guardiola has transformed Man City into the dominant force of English football in recent history, with this season's Premier League title triumph his sixth in the last seven seasons.
Goals from Phil Foden (2) and Rodri helped Man City beat West Ham United 3-1 on the final day of the 2023-24 campaign to secure top spot yet again and finish two points clear of their nearest challengers Arsenal in second.
Guardiola will soon be entering the final year of his contract at Man City and although he has confirmed that he will remain in charge next season, he has admitted that he is yet to make a decision on his long-term future at the club.
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Guardiola "happy" but unsure over Man City future
"The reality is I'm closer to leaving than to staying," Guardiola told Sky Sports in a post-match interview after lifting the Premier League trophy.
"It's eight years, will be nine. Right now my feeling is I want to stay next season. We talked with the club, we have time to talk next season because I have to see the players as well, if they follow me, they follow us.
"I want to stay next season. During the season, we will talk. But after eight, nine years..."
Later in his post-match press conference, Guardiola suggested that he is running out of things to achieve at Man City, having already won every trophy possible at the top level of English football.
"I had that feeling last season [after we won the treble]," said the Catalan coach. "We were in Istanbul (after winning Champions League) and I said, 'It's over. What am I doing here? There is nothing left.' But I have a contract. I am here and I am still enjoying some of the moments, sometimes tired but some of them I love.
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Guardiola eyeing another English football record
"And after a few days, we start playing good, winning games, different players, and we start to think about how no one has done four in a row. Why not try it?
"Now, I am feeling it is done. What next? I don't know, right now. Well, I know it is FA Cup. I know no team in all history, Gary Lineker told me - I did not know it - no team has done back-to-back Premier Leagues and FA Cups.
"So, it is [against] our rivals, and what I want is for my players to enjoy it for two or three days, and then we have two or three days to prepare the final.
"But, next season, right now, I am not able to know what will be the motivation to do it. It is difficult sometimes to find it when everything is done.
"But I know that the players and myself will be there and think, why shouldn't we win today? Why not? Why should we not work as much as possible to do what we have to do? And I know we are going to do it. I know."
Guardiola will lead his Man City side out for their final game of the 2023-24 season when they lock horns with rivals Manchester United for the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium next Saturday.
Oliver Thomas
