“I Couldn't Leave Now”: Pep Guardiola Signs 2-Year Contract Extension With Manchester City (image-instagram/pepteam)

Manchester: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had extended his contract with the club, stating that he could not leave the club after suffering four consecutive defeats for the first time in his coaching career.

“I could not leave now,” Guardiola said as the club faced one of arguably the toughest periods of his time at the Etihad Stadium.

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Guardiola has signed a two-year contract with City that will run until 2027. The contract was slated to expire at the end of the current season, and he signed a new deal on the back of defeats to Tottenham, Brighton, Sporting, and Bournemouth.

“I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why,” Guardiola told the club’s website.

There were speculations that the 53-year-old’s city career was coming to an end as the club has been facing an uncertain future due to an ongoing hearing over 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, which the club had denied completely.

“I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it’s the truth,” he added.

Guardiola further said that he is determined to help City “overcome” their current difficult predicament and reach a level where they “are more stable and more consistent” to scale the heights of the past.

This was the first time Guardiola had endured a streak of loss in his managerial career. He said that being in charge of the City “means so much” to him and he has “everything a manager could ever wish for” at the club.

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“This is my ninth season here. We have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club,” he said.

Guardiola, who took over at City in 2016, had since won a total of 18 trophies across all competitions, including Premier League titles.