Pep GuardiolaGetty Images

Man City boss Guardiola: It would be easy for me to extend for another four years

Pep Guardiola has admitted that it would be easy for him to sign another four-year contract at Manchester City "with a lot of money in the pocket".

Guardiola initially signed for City in 2016, following trophy-laden spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and has since transformed the Manchester outfit into the dominant force in English football.

Speculation over the Spaniard's future is beginning to swirl as he edges towards the final year of his contract, but he remains quite content at Etihad Stadium.

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What's been said?

City are in the mix for a fourth Premier League title under Guardiola this season, and have also won the FA Cup and four League Cups on his watch while reaching their first-ever Champions League final.

“In this world of football after six seasons here, it’s a lot of time,” he told the club's official website when asked if an extension could be on the cards.

“I’m not going to stay just to stay, I have to see if we can still do it together and everyone’s involved in that. That’s the most important thing.

“I have to feel it. That’s the reason why I extended the contract two times. When I arrived here, I didn’t expect it.

“I’m incredibly satisfied, I’m not here to move to another place. I have to feel that everybody, especially the players, are still comfortable working with me, still we can win and fight to win, you have to see it.

“For me it would be easy to sign three or four more years with a lot of money in the pocket and see what happens but that’s not the point.

“The point is still we are together and follow, and we will have to see it until the end of the season and next season.”

Guardiola calls for a new striker

Guardiola was also quizzed on City's transfer plans ahead of the summer window, and admitted that they will be in the market for a new forward once again.

The Premier League champions missed out on a deal for Tottenham's Harry Kane last year and Gabriel Jesus is currently the only recognised central striker in the first-team squad, but they have been strongly linked with Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland.

Speaking ahead of City's derby clash with Manchester United on Sunday, Guardiola said: “I think the club definitely needs a striker.

“We tried, but sometimes it’s not possible. We are not going to buy one for a number if they’re not going to give us something special.

“I am a guy who is comfortable when we have 14, 15, 16 players and after five or six in the academy.

“I love to work with that when everyone’s involved. It’s difficult for me to be manager with 18, 19, 20 top-class players with every weekend nine or ten on the bench. It’s impossible to handle it for a long, long time.

“We need a striker and I think the club is going to try. If it happens, it happens, but if it doesn’t, we’ll wait.”

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