Guardiola’s new deal: here’s what happens if Manchester City get relegated

Pep Guardiola is set to sign a contract extension at Manchester City which will see him stay at the club for another year. The Catalan coach will, when his new deal runs out in summer 2026, have spent a decade at the Premier League side.

While the side has seen unprecedented success under Guardiola, the waters have not always been smooth. The club have over 100 charges looming over them for various financial reasons and a myriad of potential punishments have been floated around should they be found guilty.

Could Manchester City be relegated?

One of the potential repercussions for financial mismanagement is relegation from the Premier League. In fact, it’s more: the Premier League would expel City from England’s top division and the club would have to be accepted into the Championship, since the two leagues are not one coherent unit (for what it’s worth, not being accepted into the Championship would indeed be unlikely given the benefits they would bring to the league as a product for viewers, but it could happen in theory).

Such strong punishments have led to various players said to be unsettled, with some even suggesting that rapid-exit clauses are being inserted into contracts should the Premier League throw City out once judgement day arrives.

However, reports coming from Manchester claim that Pep Guardiola has no such clause in his contract, meaning he would still be in charge were City to play in the second division while he is still manager.

Guardiola himself has, in the past, spoken about the situation, saying “I will answer when I have the sentence.

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“You are questioning like we have been punished. And in the moment we are innocent until guilt is proved. I know the people want it. I know, I feel it. I will wait. Wait and see it and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it. But absolutely I will not consider my future [if] it depends on being here [Premier League] or being in League One. Absolutely. There is more chance to stay if we are in League One than if we were in the Champions League.”

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