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Rob DawsonCorrespondent
Pep Guardiola is close to agreeing a new contract at Manchester City with the club now confident he will extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium, sources have told ESPN.
Guardiola, 51, is set to pen a two-year extension that will keep him at City until 2025. His current deal is due to expire in June. City have so far refused to comment.
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Sources have told ESPN that City executives jetted to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the days following their last Premier League game before the World Cup break against Brentford.
Guardiola is also in the Middle East and attended the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. City players not involved in the World Cup in Qatar are due to arrive for a warm weather training camp on Dec. 5.
City, according to sources, have used the break in the domestic campaign to sort out Guardiola’s future.
There has been an acceptance at the Etihad that if the season restarted without any further clarity then the speculation could possibly become a distraction during the second half while City challenges for four trophies.
Guardiola has given little away about his future during the first half of the season, repeating only how happy he is at the club after arriving from Bayern Munich in 2016.
In six years at the Etihad, he has won four Premier League titles and five other domestic trophies. City also reached the Champions League final in 2021.
After spells in charge of Barcelona, Bayern and City, there has been speculation that Guardiola could look to take on a national team job, but that will now have to wait until 2025 at the earliest.
The next World Cup is due to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.