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Pep Guardiola has declined to confirm reports suggesting he is set to leave his role as Manchester City manager, stating he will need to sit down with club officials to discuss his future in the near future.
Despite frequently pointing to the fact that his contract still has a year remaining, reports emerged earlier this week suggesting Guardiola intends to step away at the end of the campaign, with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca reportedly identified as his successor.
No public statement had been anticipated while City were still in contention with Arsenal in the Premier League title race, but with the Gunners now crowned champions, Guardiola was pressed to address the speculation on Tuesday night.
"I could say I have one year of contract—the conversation we have had for many years," he said.
"Always from my experience, when you [media] announce whatever you announce during a competition, it is a bad, bad result.
Dynasty built. pic.twitter.com/ynLDmcauhm
"The first person I have to talk to is my chairman because we both decide—we will talk, it is simple as that and after that we will take the decision.
"Listen, I have one more year. I will not tell you here as I have to talk to my chairman, with my players and with my staff. I am the happiest man on the planet to be in this club. This club is extraordinary.
"I always said that when you are fighting for the titles or Premier Leagues or FA Cups, in the first moment there is a problem the players don't follow you any more.
"Now is a moment with Ferran [Soriano, chief executive] and my chairman to talk and after that we will see what happens ... taking nothing for granted. Next season we will be back, City will be back."
Is Guardiola Actually Going to Leave Man City?
As Guardiola has consistently noted, his contract does still have one year left on it. When he put pen to paper on his most recent deal in 2024, he acknowledged he had been considering leaving before being persuaded to stay by the challenge of turning around City's poor form.
The situation bears a striking resemblance two years on, with City now confirmed to have fallen short of a second consecutive Premier League title as former assistant Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to glory this season.
Could Guardiola remain at the club in an attempt to restore City to the summit next season? That possibility cannot be entirely dismissed at this stage, though all indications point to the 55-year-old being ready to close the chapter on his time at the Etihad.
Behind closed doors, City have been putting in more groundwork than ever in anticipation of Guardiola's departure. While earlier reports focused on club officials' uncertainty over his plans, attention has since shifted to City's discussions with Maresca as a potential replacement.
Maresca, also a former assistant under Guardiola at City, is believed to have agreed terms to take over from the current manager this summer—a deal made more complex by potential legal obligations to his former club Chelsea following his exit in January.
Considerable ground would need to be undone if Guardiola were to ultimately opt to remain, making such an outcome highly improbable, though nothing can be confirmed either way until an official announcement from the club is made.