Pep Guardiola is “getting itchy feet” at Man City as he demands one new summer signing in order to stay, according to reports.
The Citizens have made a brilliant start to the new season as they look to defend their Premier League crown after pipping Arsenal to the title on the final day of last season.
Man City won their fourth Premier League title in a row last term with Guardiola already going down as one of the best managers the English top flight has ever seen.
Guardiola’s contract is up in the summer and there have been rumours that he could leave for a new challenge or a sabbatical.
The 115 charges hanging over Man City relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules have not helped clarity on Guardiola’s future.
There were some reports last week that Guardiola had made a decision to stay on as manager at the Etihad Stadium but now a report in Spain is claiming that the Catalan is demanding ‘the bombshell of the summer’ to stay.
With Kevin de Bruyne giving ‘signs that he could seek a new challenge away from the Premier League’ and Bayer Leverkusen attacker Florian Wirtz has been selected ‘as his [Guardiola’s] top target to replace him’.
The Man City ‘board have already taken the first steps to try and secure his signing and the transfer fee is reported to be around €100 million’.
Despite the the Citizens facing competition from Real Madrid, Barcelona and other sides, the defending Premier League champions are ‘confident’ they can convince Wirtz if Guardiola stays.
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But former Everton chairman Keith Wyness, who Football Insider describe as a ‘boardroom source’, insists that Guardiola is “getting itchy feet” at Man City.
Wyness told Football Insider: “Pep has been sending out mixed signals recently, positive and negative. With Hugo Viana coming in, the way I’m reading it is that he might do another year.
“That then gives Viana the time to settle in and work on the succession plan.
“But then again, I’m seeing Pep getting itchy feet and showing signs that he wants to move on. He’s showing frustration and there are new challenges waiting for him out there.
“He’s starting to feel that he needs to address them, but he will ultimately do the right thing for City. It could be that he signs a one-year extension, but he’s certainly signalling that he could be done.
“That’s what we’re coming to right now.”
