Pep Guardiola responds to England manager link and Man City exit rumours
Pep Guardiola has refused to rule out extending his stay at Manchester City and insists he has not agreed to become England’s next manager.
Guardiola’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season and the 53-year-old is yet to reach a new agreement with the Premier League champions.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach will also lose a key ally behind the scenes at City with Txiki Begiristain, the club’s director of football, due to leave his position at the end of the current campaign.
Asked if this will be his final season at City, Guardiola said on Italian chat show Che Tempo Che Fa: ‘That’s not true, in the sense that I have to think about it.’
Guardiola was also asked if he will become England’s next manager.
‘No, that’s not true,’ Guardiola replied.
‘If I had decided something I would say so. Anything is possible.’
Earlier on Sunday, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane had urged the Football Association to go all out for Guardiola.
‘Pep… go after Pep,’ Keane told ITV.
‘Go for the best, Pep’s contract is up in the summer.’
Speaking after England’s 3-1 win over Finland in the Nations League on Sunday, the Three Lions’ interim manager Lee Carsley was elusive over his desire to take the job on a permanent basis.
‘I think people are always going to try to put their chips on one side. I’m totally in the middle,’ Carsley said.
‘My bosses have made it totally clear what they need from me.
‘This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and been there and done it. I’m still on the path to doing that.’
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