Pep Guardiola intends to hold imminent discussions with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak regarding his future, following reports that he may depart the club at the conclusion of the current season.
Arsenal Crowned Champions
Arsenal secured the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years after second-placed Manchester City failed to take the title race to the final day. City's 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, who are bound for European competition, confirmed Arsenal's triumph.
Pre-match build-up on the south coast was dominated by speculation about Guardiola's potential summer exit, with Enzo Maresca rumoured to be his successor.
Guardiola's Comments
The City manager, who has one year remaining on his contract, declined to clarify his position as attention turns to Sunday's season finale at home to Aston Villa. "With the club, I always talk but not now," Guardiola stated. "Three, four seasons ago when there was one year left, the first thing you have to understand, I should talk with my chairman first. And when I talk with my chairman, we may decide to have one more year, we will talk about everything and we will decide. We will talk in the next days."
City arrived in Dorset aiming to keep alive their pursuit of a domestic treble after winning the FA Cup on Saturday and the Carabao Cup in March. Erling Haaland equalised in the fifth minute of added time after Junior Kroupi's first-half opener, but City could not find a late winner, denying Guardiola a potential fairytale farewell.
Fans chanted "one more year" during the match, and one supporter displayed a bedsheet reading 'Pep Stay'. Guardiola noted the potential negative impact of a manager announcing his departure early: "I always said that when you are fighting for the titles or FA Cups, in the first moment there is a problem the players don't follow you anymore. You have to stay there and I have to talk with my chairman and say 'let the season go and when it will be over we will talk'. But he deserves the first talk about what we have to do."
City are now an unassailable four points behind Arsenal. Guardiola began his post-match press conference by congratulating Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta. When asked about City's future, he initially used "we" before correcting to "City". "Next season, we will be back," said the 55-year-old, who has won six Premier League titles and the Champions League in his 10-year tenure. "City will be back and we will try to bring the team in that sense: competing until the end in the competitions."
