Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, recently met with the club’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in Abu Dhabi. This meeting comes amidst ongoing speculations about Guardiola's future at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola is currently into his ninth season with Manchester City and has an illustrious record of winning every single trophy available during his tenure. However, his existing contract is set to expire at the end of this season, leading to doubts over his longer-term future with the club.
The 53-year-old last extended his terms midway through the 2022/23 season - a campaign that culminated in a historic Treble-winning year for Manchester City. Despite these achievements, there is a widespread belief that Guardiola might be nearing the end of his time at Etihad Stadium.
The crucial meeting
While both parties are still weighing their options – Guardiola on whether he wishes to stay and Manchester City on what they could propose their legendary head coach – a potentially significant meeting took place last week in Abu Dhabi between Guardiola and Al Mubarak.
According to reports from The Times newspaper, although officially there for 'commercial reasons', it was during this visit that Manager Pep Guardiola met with Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
The pair share a strong relationship which was further solidified when they holidayed together in Maldives where Al Mubarak successfully persuaded him to extend his contract for another two years. This unexpected extension had left many staff members shocked who attributed it solely to Al Mubarak himself.
Potential future prospects
In recent days, speculation has been rife linking Pep Guardiola with several high-profile roles within football after he leaves Manchester City. Guardiola has previously expressed interest in coaching a national team in FIFA World Cup matches. This has led the Football Association and England to consider him as their 'dream' candidate to succeed Gareth Southgate.
However, there is a common belief within the FA that securing Guardiola may be too challenging both logistically and financially. As a result, Thomas Tuchel has emerged as a more likely successor.
The meeting between Pep Guardiola and Khaldoon Al Mubarak in Abu Dhabi could potentially signal hope for Manchester City fans who wish for their successful manager to extend his stay at Etihad Stadium. However, with several high-profile opportunities on the horizon for Guardiola, only time will tell where his future lies.
