Blues will be delighted to hear that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is staying after agreeing to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until at least 2027.
The Catalan coach and supremely talented tactician has won all there is to win with Man City and after completing not only a record-matching treble but making history by becoming the first English team to win four Premier League titles in a row, you could argue his Etihad project is well and truly completed.
Guardiola, who joined City back in 2016, has gradually been creeping towards the end of his most recent contract, leaving those slowly searching for his replacement and the fan base wondering what the future holds for their next chapter.
But it turns out they don’t have to worry about life after Pep for a little while longer, as the 53-year-old has now extended his stay for another two seasons. The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester for the best part of a decade isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who is comfortably one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches in football history, was due to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
However, although his contract would have seen him depart by June of next summer, this new deal will now see him stay in post until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, which will see him surpass the 10-year mark and then some.
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It’s the news all Blues have been waiting for and an announcement that will no doubt come as a huge relief given the immense success he has brought to East Manchester.
Despite waiting until now to seemingly decide his future, the man himself has actually been pretty clear on the matter, insisting that he “fell in love” with the club from the moment he got here and saying as far back as 2020 that “unless they [CFG] sack me, I will stay here.”
Speaking in an official statement, Guardiola said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”
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“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and of course the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
Man City fans will honour Pep with a banner which reads in Catalan, 'we want you to stay'…
"They'll have to bring me the bill. I will pay the bank. I don't want them to spend money for that reason. I feel in love since the first day I came here." 🥺
Better still, while the details of the agreement are yet to be fully detailed, it is thought that the new contract still includes an option to extend for an extra year, meaning we could be looking at Pep in Premier League dugouts even longer.
Should City go on to close the gap on current league leaders Liverpool, it would mean Guardiola would have overseen five title wins with the same team in a row: a feat only matched by very few in European football, most notably Juventus and Bayern Munich, the latter having managed 13 consecutive years.
Who knows if/when Guardiola will actually leave the Etihad Stadium for a new challenge, all we know is he changed modern football forever and has given Manchester – a city already spoilt in this respect – some of the most impressive football it’s ever seen.
All we do know is that the beautiful game’s passionate, bald, tiki-taka extraordinaire known simply as Pep is staying in 0161 for the time being and there are countless fans who are absolutely buzzing about it.
Teams and fixture date confirmed for first-ever regular season NBA game in Manchester
Danny Jones
In another major coup for Manchester, the NBA is coming to our shores for just the second time in our history, and now the teams set to take part have finally been announced.
Having only been played in the UK on a relative handful of occasions, this is nothing short of a massive milestone for the city.
Last crossing the pond back in 2019, the NBA has only visited 0161 once before over a decade ago at the old AO Arena, and there’s only been a total of 19 transatlantic meetings up until now.
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, being confirmed as part of the NBA’s new European slate, Manchester is also set to be one of the first venues in the UK to ever host a regular-season game outside of the United States. Massive. Here’s who’s playing and when:
NBA Europe managed to secure a three-year programme of fixtures that will feature as part of the league’s normal competitive season in late 2025.
As you can see, kicking off next year and running until 2028 at the very least, the current deal will see the much-loved sport watched worldwide first land on the continent for a pair of games next year in Berlin and London, before heading to Paris and our very own Manchester in Q1.
Florida’s Orlando Magic and Tennessee’s Memphis Grizzlies had already been announced for the first two games last July, and now the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans are set to face off for the Manc meeting.
With Basketball England being officially headquartered within the wider Etihad Campus, there was no question that the Manchester NBA fixture was going to be held at Co-op Live.
As well as being not just the biggest indoor entertainment venue of its kind in England but all of Europe, the arena has also recently welcomed the likes of the UFC, WWE and multiple boxing bouts, proving it can serve as the perfect host for premier live sporting action on a global scale.
In addition to the matches themselves, the Spurs and Pelicans will also be holding various fan activities and events within the region as part of the NBA Cares social impact programming initiative, with a focus on health, wellness, sustainability and coaching, as well as both player and even referee development.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS AND SAN ANTONIO SPURS TO PLAY REGULAR-SEASON GAMES IN PARIS AND MANCHESTER IN 2027
Spurs and Pelicans to Face Off on Jan. 14 in Paris and Jan. 17 in Manchester
The NBA today announced that the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs will play… pic.twitter.com/S80Yl102Fg
Speaking on the seismic news last summer, the leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, could only echo how big a deal this is for the region.
“Manchester once again has shown what a magnificent draw it is for major events, and we are thrilled to welcome the NBA back to our city”, she said. “This city is known for big names, big games and a reputation for showcasing world-class events on the biggest stage possible.
“With a growing basketball scene in Manchester, this event feels like the perfect fit and will give so many people in our city the chance to see what the best athletes in the sport can do on our home turf.
“When it comes to delivering world-class events, we know that Manchester is now firmly on the map. Now, working with our partners, we want to continue driving investment towards our city, creating new jobs, increasing growth and providing new opportunities and experiences for all of our residents.”
You can register your interest for tickets to see Spurs vs Pelicans in a proper competitive NBA regular season round right at the Co-op Live in Manchester, right HERE; remember, you can always spring for the discounted posh seats, as well.
Manchester Storm have already set a new record before they’ve even returned ‘home’
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have already broken a record ahead of next season, and they’ve done it before they’ve even made it back to their original stadium.
Just goes to show that the ice hockey following here in Greater Manchester hasn’t gone anywhere.
Following the news that Manchester Storm will be returning to the city centre for the 2026/27 campaign, they’ve had a flood of interest from both new and old fans.
With that in mind, it didn’t take long for the native team to reveal that they have already set a new record for season ticket sales just a few weeks on from the announcement.
Sharing an update on social media, they write: “Manchester Storm supporters have delivered incredible demand for 2026/27 Season Tickets, with the club recording its highest-ever sales within the first week and the strongest total in its modern history.
“Thank you, Manchester, for your amazing support.”
Crediting ticketing partner StubHero for helping deliver “a smooth experience during this period of exceptional demand” for followers of the local outfit, they’re even set to give away the next milestone season ticket away completely FREE as part of the ‘homecoming’ celebrations.
Writing further in an official statement, they went on to add: “The move back to the AO Arena represents far more than just a change of venue or a return home…
“It marks the beginning of an ambitious new chapter for the club, built around bigger crowds, bigger occasions, and an unforgettable gameday experience in one of the UK’s premier entertainment venues.
Speaking in an interview with internal media, CEO and owner Emma Finnerty said that they’re not just aiming to grow their reputation in Britain: “Our vision is to become the biggest club in Europe.
“When you think of Manchester, you think of Manchester United and Manchester City – and then hopefully we’ll come third after them.”
While the former ‘Storm Shelter’ stadium at Planet Ice Altrincham only held a maximum of 2,500 spectators, serving them more than faithfully over the past decade or so, the AO Arena can literally hold almost ten times that amount. Here’s hoping they get close to full week in and week out.
As hockey fandom continues to grow across the UK, it feels like a better time than ever for supporters to get involved with the sport – and, as ever, they’re keen to get people as involved as possible.
Danny Jones -
21st November 2024 
