Manchester City ticked a key objective off their to-do list earlier this week.
With Pep Guardiola’s contract at the Etihad Stadium set to expire in the summer, City have now seen the Catalan sign a two-year extension.
A report from The Athletic initially broke the news before the club officially announced it on Thursday.
In between the initial report and the official announcement, Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler reacted to Guardiola’s extension, sharing how pleased he was by the news.
Now that Friday’s round of Premier League press conferences have been and gone, several other top-flight managers have shared their thoughts on the matter.
Let’s take a look at what some of those managers have said about Guardiola’s extension.
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Premier League managers react to Pep Guardiola’s contract extension
Mikel Arteta – “If it is what he really wants, and I’m sure it is, I congratulate him – I already did it. I’m happy for him because I want the best for him.”
Arne Slot – “Good news for City first of all and good news and the league because everyone wants the best managers and players here and he is definitely one of them if not the best. Look at what he did last few years, four-time champions in this league, fair to say he is the best. They have so many quality players, if he made the choice to leave I wouldn’t expect them [to be] bottom next season. Interesting for us managers facing one of the best managers ever.”
Eddie Howe – “I was delighted to see that. On a serious note, I think he’s contributed so much to English football. I think he’s revolutionised how a lot of teams play. I think he’s incredibly talented and I think it’s good for the English game that he’s still here. He will continue to develop and evolve his style and people will potentially continue to follow that. From the competition side, I think it keeps the Premier League as the best game in the world.”
Gary O’Neil – “Pep Guardiola has offered me an invite to see him, I haven’t got round to it yet, but hoping to get up there and meet him for a coffee soon. He’s had a huge impact on the game globally. He’s moved the game to where it is now and been unbelievably successful.”
Julen Lopetegui – “It’s always good that the best coaches decide to continue in the Premier League and for sure, Pep is one of the best. I am happy for him, he is a friend of mine so yes, I am happy for him.”
Guardiola said it took him ‘two hours’ to decide new contract extension
In his own press conference ahead of City’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, Guardiola discussed his contract extension – revealing numerous details on the subject including how it took him “two hours” to agree on it.
| Pep Guardiola vs | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost |
| Jurgen Klopp | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 |
| Mauricio Pochettino | 25 | 14 | 7 | 4 |
| Jose Mourinho | 25 | 12 | 6 | 7 |
| Sean Dyche | 17 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Eddie Howe | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 |
Arriving at the Manchester club back in 2016, the Catalan has gone on to overlook 490 matches across all competitions in total prior to their home match against Tottenham.
Winning 360 of those games, with 60 draws and 70 defeats, Guardiola has guided City to multiple domestic and European trophies, breaking various records along the way in doing so.
Even though the Blues have been the dominant force in the Premier League since the 53-year-old arrived in England, the fact that this handful of managers have shared how pleased they are to see Guardiola continue his journey with City shows just how much they admire and respect him.
Moving forward, from a City fans’ point of view, they will be hoping to see their iconic manager lead the club to more silverware now that the speculation surrounding his future has been put to bed.
