Pep Guardiola will enter his fifth season at Manchester City by arguing he has to deserve the new contract to ensure it is not his last.
The Catalan, who managed Barcelona for four seasons and Bayern Munich for three, is in the final year of his current deal.
He gave City hope he will extend his reign by talking of his love for life at the Etihad Stadium and saying that, as he enters uncharted territory for him, he remains as motivated as ever.
“I would not be here if I didn’t feel the fire or desire,” he said. “Still I have passion to do it and maybe more than ever.”
But Guardiola insisted results will dictate his future. He has won two Premier League titles with City but, while they retained the Carabao Cup last season, they finished 18 points behind champions Liverpool.
“I would love to stay longer here,” he said. “It is a place I love to be but I have to deserve it. This club achieved standards in the last decade but we have to maintain that and I have to deserve it.”
Not that Guardiola is under any pressure from his employers. The lines of communication with director of football Txiki Begiristain, chief executive Ferran Soriano and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak are open, but Guardiola is alone in putting such demands on himself.
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Manchester City 2019/20 season ratings
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MANAGER: Pep Guardiola - 7: City have been thrilling to watch at times, particularly at home, but have also found ways to lose games they should have won. Hard to think of a trophy winning season as a failure, but such are the standards set by Guardiola that it seems like that after the defeat in Lisbon. Long-term injuries to Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane, before he was sold, didn’t help the cause, nor did Mikel Arteta’s departure for Arsenal in December. Plenty to think about over the break, but it would be a surprise if City weren’t stronger next season. AFP -
GOALKEEPERS: Ederson - 7: Do any two statistics sum up City’s season so thoroughly as Ederson winning the Golden Glove for keeping 16 clean sheets in 35 Premier League appearances in a campaign when the club also conceded 35 league goals and lost nine league games? Ederson is the most complete goalkeeper in the Premier League and yet was prone to error too often this term. AP -
Claudio Bravo - 6: Sent off against Atalanta in the Champions League after only coming on at half-time for the injured Ederson, his calamitous appearance in Italy seemed to sum up his time at City. Nevertheless, he collected winners’ medals in the Carabao Cup and the Community Shield, memorably saving one of Liverpool’s penalties in a man-of-the-match winning performance. Getty -
DEFENDERS: Aymeric Laporte - 7: His early season injury exposed City’s frailties at the back. His recovery has helped shore up City’s defence, although he was shaky in an unfamiliar set-up in the Champions League quarter-final. Restricted to less than 20 appearances this season. AP -
Kyle Walker - 7: He has been excellent on many occasions, particularly since restart, even if he was far from his best in City’s Champions League exit. Also went in goal after Claudio Bravo’s sending off in Italy against Atalanta and, memorably, kept a clean sheet. PA -
Eric Garcia - 7: A breakthrough performer this summer despite being knocked unconscious against Arsenal, Garcia looked to be the answer to the persistent questions over City’s defensive issues. The news that he is likely to return to Spain soon clouds further judgement of him. EPA -
Benjamin Mendy - 6: Has appeared more for City this season than in his two previous injury hit campaigns combined. Mendy has been both frustrating - his bad error at Chelsea let in Christian Pulisic - and thoroughly competent. His long-term rehabilitation from serious injury continues. Getty -
John Stones - 5: Another tough season for the centre-back, who has struggled with injury and form. Despite rumours he may be shipped out this summer, he has vowed to fight for his place. AFP -
Nicolas Otamendi - 5: Too error prone these days, but still capable of delivering a good performance on occasions. It would be a surprise if he is still at the club when the transfer window closes later this year. Getty -
Angelino - 5: Endured a torrid time in the league defeat at Anfield, although he was hardly alone in that, and was subsequently loaned out to RB Leipzig in January, where he is still in the hunt for a Champions League winners’ medal. AFP -
Oleksandr Zinchenko - 5: Arguably made his biggest statement this season while away on international duty by celebrating wildly after helping Ukraine qualify for the European Championship and then proposing to his TV presenter girlfriend Vlada Sedan hours later. Often asked to fill in as a utility player for City, which makes him hard to judge, but was clearly at fault when caught in possession in the defeat at Southampton. -
Fernandinho - 7: Hard to criticise too much when asked to fill in at centre back after Laporte’s injury, but has looked out of sorts on some of the big occasions, notably in away defeats at Chelsea and Liverpool. Moving him into defence arguably took more away from the midfield than it added to the back line. Even so, he was often the side’s best-performing defender. PA -
MIDFIELDERS: Ilkay Gundogan - 7: Often trusted by Pep Guardiola in the biggest games, Gundogan is a shadow player by nature, breaking up an opposition attack or providing a short pass to an attacking teammate, while others in the team provide the stardust. Occasionally wasteful in front of goal. PA -
Phil Foden - 8: Capped off an outstanding season with a string of fine performances since restart after a man-of-the-match winning appearance in the Carabao Cup final. Close to 40 appearances in all competitions underlines how much he has progressed this term. Reuters -
Rodri - 7: Took his time to settle in, but has looked increasingly comfortable. Claimed a Premier League passing record in February, completing a staggering 178 passes against West Ham. He has the potential to be a key player in the side for years to come. EPA -
Kevin de Bruyne - 9: The best player in the Premier League was often close to perfection this year. Scored a brilliant free-kick against Chelsea after restart and a superb volley against Newcastle last November, both could easily have been goals of the season. He also equalled the Premier League record for most assists in a season with 20, but was strangely quiet in the FA Cup semi-final defeat against Arsenal and not at his best in the Champions League exit against Lyon. PA -
Bernardo Silva - 5: Hugely influential in the two previous title-winning seasons, his form dipped after scoring three times in an 8-0 victory over Watford in September and posting a tweet about one of his team-mates for which he was rightly fined, suspended and reprimanded. Getty -
David Silva - 7: Has been at his best on several occasions since restart and made an emotional final appearance in the Premier League in City’s 5-0 drubbing of Norwich City. His ten-year stint has been transformational at the club, even if European glory ultimately proved elusive. AP -
Joao Cancelo - 6: Has belatedly begun to show the kind of form that persuaded Pep Guardiola to spend big money on him last summer. Will need to develop further next season if City are to reclaim the title. PA -
Riyad Mahrez - 8: After taking his time to settle into the side in last season’s treble winning season, Mahrez has been one of City’s most consistent performers this year. Scored a stunning solo effort against Villa in January on his way to 13 goals in all competitions. He will feel he should have started against Lyon. Getty -
ATTACKERS: Raheem Sterling - 8.5: Another stellar season for Sterling, despite his late miss in the Champions League against Lyon. He has been prolific since restart and was superb in the first half of the season when he bagged hat-tricks in both the Premier League and the Champions League, even if the goals dried up for a time early in 2020. Eventually scored 31 goals in all competitions. AP -
Gabriel Jesus - 7: Divides opinions, but was electric against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and in the return match at the Etihad. Suffers a little through having to deputise for Aguero, but still managed to score more than 20 goals in all competitions. His time may finally be arriving at the Etihad. EPA -
Sergio Aguero - 7: The club’s record goalscorer was in devastating form when available, but an injury hit season restricted him to just 32 appearances in all competitions, his lowest in his nine years at the Etihad. PA
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“This is my mind,” he underlined. “We didn’t speak with the club in these terms. They didn’t push me from day one to today. I see Txiki and Ferran every day and I speak every week with Khaldoon. When it is going to happen, it is going to happen. The relationship is so strong in all departments so it will not be a problem for the club to do what we have to do in the future.”
If City hope they will not be looking for a new manager, there has already been a change of leadership on the field. With David Silva gone to Real Sociedad, a captain has been appointed. “Fernandinho,” Guardiola revealed. “The players and the staff vote on captains. The locker room decide Fernandinho is captain. I am more than delighted about this.”
The 35-year-old Brazilian has long felt a leader for him. “It doesn’t matter who has the armband or is the first captain, it is the guy who leads in the bad moments,” he explained. Fernandinho has done that.
City take on Wolves on Monday, with another of the senior figures out. Sergio Aguero underwent knee surgery in June and has not been able to train with the team yet. City's record goalscorer could be out until the second half of November. He might miss up to 12 games.
“Maybe in one or two months he will be ready,” Guardiola said. “Sergio is not a guy who regains the physical condition quickly.”
But there could be debuts at Molineux for Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake. City will be without Aymeric Laporte, who only returned to training on Friday after recovering from coronavirus, which increases Ake’s chances of starting. Guardiola confirmed he sees the Netherlands international much more as a central defender than as the first-choice left-back.
Guardiola will be able to make fewer changes after the Premier League voted to revert to three substitutions per side, a move he opposed.
“I don’t understand why, when everyone is concerned about Covid-19 and is not allowed to go to the restaurants and is not allowed to do what you want to do, in this incredible period you cannot protect the players with five substitutes,” he said. “You have to protect the players.”
