Pep Guardiola prepared to help Man City pick his replacement

City's serial-winning manager is in the final year of his contract and speculation over his future is rife.

The Catalan insists he is yet to make a decision on whether or not he will extend his stay into a 10th season at the Etihad Stadium.

Yet when the time comes to depart, he would be willing to offer the club his thoughts on the person to take over, although he would not expect to help.

Guardiola, whose City successes include six Premier League titles and a Champions League win, said: "Of course, with the relationship I have, if they ask me I will give my opinion but it is not my job. The decision will be taken by them, not by me. It belongs to the club.

"I would give my opinion as a friend, having shared unbelievable moments together, but it has to be the club. I would say the new sporting director, the moment I'm not here any more, has to choose."

Speculation has intensified since it was announced last week that director of football Txiki Begiristain, a long-time friend and colleague at both Barcelona and City, will retire next summer.

Begiristain and another former Barcelona director, the City chief executive Ferran Soriano, laid the groundwork at the club for Guardiola to thrive and backed him during a difficult first season.

Guardiola said: "I was so grateful but I wasn't surprised. The reasons I came here were; one for the potential for the future, but especially because a few friends like Ferran and Txiki were here.

"At the time I didn't know my chairman and my owner, the players or the backroom staff, but I knew them and for me to have the hierarchy to support me was not a surprise.

"I worked with them, especially with Txiki in Barcelona and I knew always we would try to find a solution, not to blame what is going on.

"That's why you appreciate in the bad moments that all managers have, how close the people above are to you. This is what happened."

Champions City return to action with a trip to Wolves on Sunday.

Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and defender Nathan Ake are unlikely starters having not fully recovered from injuries suffered before the international break.

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