Pep Guardiola and Manchester City set for showdown talks over Etihad Stadium future THIS WEEK

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola appear set for showdown talks over the Catalan’s future at the club in the coming days, according to a new report.

The 53-year-old’s contract at the Etihad Stadium is due to expire at the end of the ongoing season, and with results going against the Premier League champions over their last four contests, some are wondering whether it is the beginning of the end of an era.

However, Guardiola has insisted on multiple occasions that he is more driven than ever to turn around Manchester City’s fortunes and ensure that their season does not derail as a direct consequence of a growing injury list.

At the same time, Pep Guardiola has made it very clear when speaking to the media that he would not be willing to comment on his Manchester City future, instead insisting that news of a decision would come in due course and no comment would be made until then.

The latest words from Guardiola on the matter came around the club’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, to which he responded, “I’ve said many times, I’m not going talk about this subject.

“When it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen,” he continued. “We (himself and the club’s hierarchy) are in touch regularly, and what is going to happen is going to happen, always for the benefit of the club.”

And while the uncertainty may continue from the point of Pep Guardiola to the media, a new report has suggested that a final decision may only be around the corner during the ongoing international break.

According to the information of journalist Matteo Moretto, an ‘important meeting’ will take place during the next week in Manchester over a possible one-year contract renewal with Pep Guardiola and the Premier League champions.

It is claimed that starting from this week, the Manchester City manager will ‘begin to finalise negotiations’ for a renewal, as the Premier League giants are clear in not wanting to lose the Catalan and are aiming to give him continuity in the Etihad Stadium dugout.

That continuation of their working relationship would come as the club prepare for change in the boardroom, with Sporting’s Hugo Viana replacing Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City’s Director of Football from the summer of 2025.

For now, it remains to be seen whether Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain have identified any potential successors to Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, in preparation for an outcome that the club will certainly not be wanting from their most successful manager.

Among those currently starring in Europe are Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, whilst Manchester City are understood to have admirers in the work of Julian Nagelsmann, Míchel at Girona, whilst Pep Guardiola has been hugely complimentary of Roberto De Zerbi.

One name that has not been considered by Manchester City is the newly-appointed Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, with the Premier League champions believing that the Portuguese coach’s style did not align with their own philosophical foundations.