Even after enduring an uncharacteristically poor campaign, Mail sport’s Manchester City correspondent Jack Gaughan has refuted rumours Pep Guardiola may be tempted to leave the club at the end of the season in the latest episode of the ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ podcast.
The six-time Premier League winning manager signed a two-year contract extension last year, but after recent disappointing results against Brighton and Nottingham Forest, IAKO host Ian Ladyman raised the spectre of Pep’s departure.
To the relief of City fans, club insider Gaughan revealed the Spaniard’s resolve to turn the club’s form around was stronger than ever, with Pep already drafting a list of names to strengthen his squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Manchester City currently sit in fifth in the Premier League, with that position likely to be enough to secure Champions League football next season – an important draw to attract new players.
‘The worse it gets; the more likely Pep will stay.,’ said Gaughan. ‘City are treading water really, waiting for next season.
‘They need to try and finish top five. A few weeks ago, if you’d asked me about top five, I’d have said, it’s absolutely nailed on, no problem.
Manchester City correspondent Jack Gaughan has refuted rumours Pep Guardiola may be tempted to leave the club at the end of the season in the latest episode of the ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ podcast.
Although City will hold on to their manager, the summer will see changes made to the squad as veterans Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Gundogan are mooted to leave Pep’s side.
Rumours have suggested that new director of football Hugo Viana will look to move Silva on this summer
‘Then they lost at Forest, they weren’t great. Then there was the Brighton game – they’ve dropped five points in two weeks and suddenly it’s becoming quite congested again.’
Although Gaughan is confident City will hold on to their legendary manager, the summer will see changes made to the squad, with veterans such as Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan linked with exits.
De Bruyne and Gundogan’s contracts expire after the 2024-25 season, while rumours have suggested that new director of football Hugo Viana will look to move Silva on after a noticeable decline in his performances.
Gaughan looked ahead to the summer window, telling Ladyman the areas in squad the club will look to address.
‘I would think a goalkeeper comes in; there was a thought that they might go for a keeper in January.
‘They are in need of another midfielder and a full back. They’ve been looking closely at Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus.
‘It all depends on who wants to leave and how much money they can get for certain players and that’s without discussing the Club World Cup and the impact of that on the squad.’
For more on Manchester City and a behind-the-scenes look into Thomas Tuchel’s first training session as new England manager, listen to the latest episode of ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ here.
Listen to ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’, with Ian Ladyman and Chris Sutton wherever you get your podcasts now. New episodes released every Monday and Thursday.