Pep Guardiola has signed a three-year contract with Manchester City after Manuel Pellegrini confirmed he is leaving at the end of the season.
Pellegrini broke the news at his press conference ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with Sunderland hile City affirmed they had discussed the job with Guardiola in 2012.
City’s desire to appoint Guardiola had been an open secret and they released a statement on Monday outlining what will happen in the summer.
Pellegrini said the club did not go behind his back and the statement read: ‘Manchester City can confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalised contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC head coach for the 2016-17 EPL season onwards.
‘The contract is for three years. These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012.
‘Out of respect for Manuel Pellegrini and the players, the club wishes to make its decision public to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation.
‘Manuel, who is fully supportive of the decision to make this communication, is entirely focused on achieving his targets for the season ahead and retains the respect and commitment of all involved with the leadership of the club.’
Pellegrini told a press conference on Monday ahead of their Tuesday night clash with Sunderland: ‘Before I finish, I want to tell you I have talked with the club and I will finish my contract on the original date.
‘I signed for one year more, but with the clause that the club or me can choose not to use that stuff now, so I finish here on the original date, June 30, so there is not the speculation.
‘The club are not doing anything behind me, I knew this one month ago, but I don’t think it’s good to have rumour or speculation about these things, so I prefer to finish today, which I why I have told the players and I have told the press. I also spoke to the club two weeks ago and said that I would do it.’
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PEP GUARDIOLA CAREER STATS
BARCELONA:
La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12
Spanish Super Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011
Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011
BAYERN MUNICH:
Bundesliga: 2013–14, 2014–15
German Cup: 2013–14
UEFA Super Cup: 2013
FIFA Club World Cup: 2013
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Pellegrini will be confident of leaving Manchester on a high with his side currently in with a shout in four competitions this season.
They sit second in the Premier League table, three points behind Leicester City having secured victory in 13 of their opening 23 league games this season.
The Chilean’s squad are also through to the Capital One Cup final where they will take on Liverpool, looking to win it for the second time in three years.
On Saturday City also kept alive dreams of lifting the FA Cup at Wembley with young Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho grabbing a hat-trick against Aston Villa to secure progression.
In fact Pellegrini’s side are still in the running for an incredible four trophies, with Dynamo Kiev standing in their way in the Champions League last 16.
Guardiola himself arrives with quite the record having secured multiple trophies during his time with Spanish giants Barcelona and Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich.
The former Spain midfielder won three La Liga titles as well as two Champions League trophies during his time with Catalan club, a side he made more than 260 appearances for.
All in all he won 14 trophies as Barcelona manager before swapping Spain for Germany, via a sabbatical, back in 2013.
Success made the short flight with Guardiola as he replaced Jupp Heynckes, a man who had his own share of silverware, as manager of Bayern Munich.
Any fears about him being successful in Germany were short-lived with Guardiola winning the league, the German Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in his first season.