PEP GUARDIOLA stated today his determination to lead Manchester City back to the top even if they are relegated to the National League over alleged financial irregularities.
The City manager this week ended speculation over his immediate future by extending his contract with the club he has guided to six Premier League titles through to the summer of 2027.
The news has given the champions a lift at a time of huge uncertainty off the field.
The club are currently battling 115 charges of alleged rule-breaking following an investigation into their financial affairs.
City deny all wrongdoing but, if found guilty, they could face a severe punishment, including the possibility of relegation.
Guardiola, who revealed his contract negotiations were concluded in two hours, said: “I said six months ago, not because now I’ve extended my contract: I said when all the clubs accused us of doing something wrong, [and people asked] what happens if we are relegated, [I said] I will be here.
“Next year, I don’t know the position of the Conference [on where] they are going to [put] us, [but] we are going to come up and come up and come back to the Premier League. I knew it then and I feel it now.”
Guardiola has won 18 trophies since taking charge at the City of Manchester Stadium in 2016, with his haul also including the Champions League and two FA Cups.
His previous contract had been due to expire next summer.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said: “I felt I should stay here because they want me – for obvious reasons, for the results.
“Sometimes something can ignite in yourself to say that is the moment to stay here. In just two hours, we did it.
“Maybe I am a little bit arrogant but I think we deserve to continue for what we have done in the last years.
“But I’m not naive enough to think I am going to stay because we have a contract or what we have done in the past. Maybe in a month I [will] not [be] here if the situation is not going well. We have to do it again.”
Meanwhile, Guardiola has voiced further frustration with his side’s lengthy injury list and specifically the impact of international football on the situation.
City, who host Tottenham this weekend, have lost their last four matches in all competitions with a high number of absentees being a contributory factor.
Mateo Kovacic is the latest casualty, facing up to a month out with a knock sustained on international duty.
Defenders John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake are all close to returning but Guardiola underlined his exasperation by highlighting the case of a non-first-teamer in 19-year-old Max Alleyne.
Guardiola, who was irked recently when England called up an injured Jack Grealish, said: “Max Alleyne – they pushed his limits and he came back injured.
“They should be more in contact [with] national teams with the specific doctors from here because if one player goes not in a perfect condition and trains with the under-21s in the morning and in the afternoon with the under-20s, and then plays two games when not fully fit, it’s normal that he is injured. We will lose him for three weeks to one month again.”
