Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole that an announcement on Pep Guardiola's future at the Etihad Stadium could be made "next month".
Speculation over the 53-year-old's long-term future on the blue side of Manchester has been rife for some time, with his current contract due to expire in the summer of 2025.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, Guardiola is currently enjoying his ninth season in charge at the Etihad, where he has celebrated winning a total of 18 trophies.
The Catalan coach has transformed his Man City side into the dominant force of English football since arriving in 2016, winning six of the last seven Premier League titles, as well as winning four EFL Cups, two FA Cups and three Community Shields.
Guardiola steered the Citizens to Champions League glory for the first time in the club's history in 2022-23, the same season that they completed a historic treble, while his side also became the first club in English top-flight history to win four successive titles after finishing the 2023-24 campaign two points clear of rivals Arsenal in second.
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What is the latest on Guardiola's future at Man City?
At the end of last season, Guardiola admitted that he is "closer to leaving than staying" at Man City, sparking speculation that the current campaign could be his last before deciding to leave when his contract expires next summer.
Guardiola then revealed in July that he "would love to stay" at the Etihad beyond the end of the 2024-25 season, but stressed that a decision on his future would involve a number of factors.
The Man City boss was asked again about his future at a press conference last week prior to the club's 3-2 win over Fulham in the Premier League, when a banner that read: 'Pep Guardiola, we want you to stay' in Catalan was unveiled in the South Stand at the Etihad.
The 1894 Group raised over £1,000 in less than 24 hours to create the banner, and Guardiola has since expressed his willingness to pay for the banner, although he opted to remain coy on his future when pressed on the matter by reporters.
Man City fans are desperate to see Guardiola commit his future to the club, and McInerney believes that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has already made his mind up about his future.
"I think Guardiola probably knows now. I'd be surprised if he doesn't," McInerney told Sports Mole. "It's a weird one with Guardiola, because he's such a hard man to read, and that's what makes him so good, I guess.
'Don't be surprised if you hear from Guardiola in the next month about his future'
"His motivations are so different to most people. It's not just about success, it's about if he's enjoying it. It's about if the players are reacting to him.
"There is a small part of me that wouldn't be surprised if Guardiola would be more inclined to stay if City had a bit of a tougher season. If the players were still responding to him, but it was tough, it was a battle, I think he would be more inclined to stay than if it was a stroll. It's complicated.
"Looking at Guardiola's previous extensions, he tends to decide around about now, around this time, because it's always an international break around now, and they usually announce the extension around November to December at some point, so I do think we're actually getting close to that decision.
"I think he has so much respect for the City hierarchy who have treated him so well, and also the City fans. The rumours were that he was really moved by that banner that the fans put together, because it meant a lot to him.
"I feel like he's got so much respect for the club in general, because he spent such a long part of his life there now. He's in his early 50s and he's been here for nine years - it's like a fifth of his life, it's an awful long time.
"He is, of course, a City fan now, so I do feel that he won't want to go to April and go 'Right, I'm not staying' because it's just not fair [and] he understands that you have to have a succession plan.
"I do think he will make a decision pretty soon. Don't be surprised if you actually hear from him in the next month about his future."
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McInerney has gut feeling Guardiola will stay at Man City
Asked whether he feels Guardiola - who has been linked with international jobs including England - will stay at Man City beyond this season, McInerney added: "Currently, my heart and my head reckons he'll stay. I've just got a feeling there isn't much around to tempt him (to leave) right now.
"I do think international football will be the one for him after this, it feels like the natural step for him, he's done pretty much everything he needs to in European [club] football. I can't really see him managing outside of the continent, so I do reckon it'll be international football.
"[He'll] either stay in club football with City, or essentially retire from club football management (and take an international job). But I think the choice he'll take is to stay for a little bit longer. My gut is telling me that, he's enjoying it this season, despite the Rodri injury.
"There's a core of young players which make it more fun; the likes of Rico Lewis who is having a phenomenal season so far, [Josko] Gvardiol is getting better, you've got Savinho who has come in, Oscar Bobb is unfortunately injured, but he's such a great player. There's a whole bunch of young players coming through, and obviously [James] McAtee and [Jeremy] Doku are there as well.
"I do think Guardiola is enjoying working with this collection of players. I think he's going to be tempted to stay just because it works. That's me as a City fan dreaming anyway."
Uncertainty over Guardiola's future comes at a time when reports have emerged claiming that Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain - a close friend and colleague of Guardiola - is set to leave the club at the end of the season.
Begiristain's decision to leave is said to have been made with full knowledge and endorsement of Man City's hierarchy and is in no way related to the Associated Party Transaction rules verdict, or the club's ongoing case involving the 115 alleged Premier League charges.
Guardiola is currently in Abu Dhabi as part of routine commercial agreements now that the international break is underway, and he will soon turn his attention to Man City's next Premier League match away against Wolverhampton Wanderers on October 20.
Oliver Thomas
