Football: Guardiola signs 3-year deal to manage Manchester City

Football: Guardiola signs 3-year deal to manage Manchester City

Pep Guardiola has signed a three-year contract to take over as Manchester City manager in July, the Premier League club said on Monday.

Current manager Manuel Pellegrini will leave the job on June 30.

"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 club said in a statement.

"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," City added on their website.

"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."

The 45-year-old Guardiola notched up the treble of Champions League, German Cup and Bundesliga titles in 2013 but, in the last two seasons, Bayern have exited the Champions League at the semi-final stage.

The ex-Spain international previously coached Barcelona from 2008-12, leading the Catalan giants to domestic and Champions League glory in a remarkable run of success.

The much-travelled Pellegrini, 62, signed for City in 2013, becoming the first Chilean to coach in the Premier League. During his tenure, City have won 64 of the 99 games played. The only coach to have won more in his opening 99 Premier League games is Jose Mourinho (73).

Manchester City, who sit second in the English Premier League behind Leicester, remain in the running for four trophies this season.

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