ON GUARD
Pep Guardiola agrees two-year Man City contract extension as Citizens hope to tempt Lionel Messi
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PEP GUARDIOLA has “unfinished business” at Manchester City after finally signing a new two-year contract.
And the club hope resolving their manager’s future will open the door to luring superstar Lionel Messi.
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Doubts about Guardiola’s plans have cast a shadow over what has been a difficult start to the season at the Etihad.
But he held talks with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak this week — and the pair decided there is still much they want to achieve.
Guardiola, famed for his tiki-taka football, said: “Talking with Khaldoon I understood what the club wanted and I said, ‘OK, we are going to do it together’.
“We felt we still had some unfinished business and wanted to continue what we have done in the last years.
“We decided this was best for both sides. I had the feeling it is not over and that’s why we decided to continue together.
“He convinced me that still we have to move forward, to continue what we have done in these incredible four years.”
SunSport revealed last month that Guardiola, 49, was likely to extend his five-year stay beyond this summer.
That was confirmed yesterday, with the Spaniard signing up until the summer of 2023 — although there is no pay increase on his £15million-a-year salary.
The stability that brings will not do City any harm in their plans to bring Messi to England in January — or even next summer.
A move for the Argentine, 33, looked as though it was on the cards in August, before he was finally forced to stay at Barcelona for the last year of his contract.
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Guardiola’s mention of ‘unfinished business’ will have fans thinking of the Champions League.
The Catalan has won the competition twice with Barca — but it is the one trophy he has failed to land at City.
Guardiola, winner of six major trophies in the last three seasons, will also be desperate to wrestle back the Premier League title after last season’s meek surrender to Liverpool.
He added: “Ever since I arrived at City I have been made to feel so welcome.
“Since then we have achieved a great deal and won trophies — and we are all very proud of that success. Having that support is the best thing any manager can have.”
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