“I’ll tell you again…” – Pep Guardiola issues defiant response to Manchester City exit talk | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was asked about his future at the club ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield.

The Catalan is into the final 18 months of his current deal at the Etihad Stadium amid increasing talk of a potential parting of ways with Manchester City come the end of the season – a year before his contract expires in 2027.

Guardiola has brushed aside talk of a 2026 summer exit, though that hasn’t stopped a flurry of reports in England doubling and tripling down on a growing belief in the industry that the 55-year-old could well call it quits at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

City are at a nascent stage of their evolution under director of football Hugo Viana, who has revamped Guardiola’s squad since replacing Txiki Begiristain last summer, notably bringing in Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January to bolster City’s injury-riddled, depleted squad amid their charge for silverware on various fronts.

Three days on from squandering a two goal lead against Tottenham in north London and losing further ground in the title race, City returned to winning ways in midweek as a brace from Omar Marmoush and another strike from Tijjani Reijnders against Newcastle United helped the Blues set up a Carabao Cup final date with Arsenal at Wembley.

City have not purred like usual so far in 2026 and having won just once in their last six Premier League games, the stakes have never been higher for the Blues as they prepare for a clash of the titans at Anfield on Sunday – where three points are a must for Guardiola and co to keep up the pressure on Arsenal.

Guardiola has faced increasing speculation around his Manchester City in recent days, with a wide-ranging report from BBC Sport citing a belief at the Etihad Stadium that it is unlikely that the Catalan pens a new deal at the club – should he stay past this summer.

Executives at the Etihad Stadium have also reportedly formed a three man leading candidate list – comprising Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas and Enzo Maresca – to replace Guardiola, whether that is in six months’ time or at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Asked whether he has conveyed a decision over his Manchester City future to club bosses ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool, Guardiola said: “No, because I have one more year (left on my) contract,” in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager was subsequently asked whether that means he will honour the remainder of his Manchester City contract.

“The question on that was one month or two months ago, you were not here and I’ll tell you again: It’s the same answer that I answered two months ago (I’m staying),” Guardiola added.

Nothing less than a win will do for City in Merseyside this weekend, with all of Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rodri and Ruben Dias expected to return to the lineup after being rested in midweek against Newcastle United.