Pep Guardiola declined to clarify whether he will remain in charge of Manchester City beyond next season after his side’s title hopes officially ended on the south coast.

A 1-1 result against AFC Bournemouth confirmed that Arsenal had done enough to secure the Premier League crown, bringing an end to City’s dominance and handing the North London club their first league triumph in more than two decades.

Speculation surrounding Guardiola’s future intensified following reports suggesting the Spaniard had already informed members of the squad that his decade-long spell at the Etihad was nearing its conclusion. However, the City manager avoided giving any direct confirmation after the match.

Speaking to reporters, Guardiola insisted that discussions regarding his position would remain private until he had spoken internally with the club hierarchy. He pointed to the fact that he still has one year left on his current agreement and repeated that he would not publicly address any decision before consulting key figures at the club.

Guardiola Points to Internal Talks

The City boss explained that any decision over his future would first involve conversations with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano.

Guardiola stressed that such matters would be resolved behind closed doors rather than through media speculation. He also suggested that discussions with players and coaching staff would take place before anything became official.

Despite the uncertainty, Guardiola made it clear he still feels deeply connected to the club. He described himself as fortunate to be part of what he called an extraordinary organisation and reiterated his appreciation for the environment built at City during his tenure.

Title Race Slips Away

Although City remained in contention deep into the campaign, Guardiola admitted fatigue had become increasingly visible within his squad during the closing weeks of the season.

He acknowledged that the demanding fixture list had taken its toll and said he would have preferred the title battle to go down to the final stages with his team at full strength. Instead, City were unable to produce the result needed at Bournemouth.

A late goal from Erling Haaland rescued a draw, but it was ultimately meaningless in the context of the championship race.

Guardiola accepted that margins at the top level can be extremely small, especially when competing against elite opponents over a long season. He noted that sometimes teams fall short simply because the competition is exceptionally strong.

Praise for Arteta and Arsenal

Rather than focusing solely on disappointment, Guardiola used the opportunity to congratulate Arsenal and his former assistant Mikel Arteta.

The City manager praised Arsenal’s players, coaching staff and supporters, saying the London side had earned the title through their consistency across the campaign.

Arteta previously worked under Guardiola at City before taking charge at Arsenal, and the relationship between the two managers has remained respectful despite the fierce rivalry that has developed between their clubs in recent seasons.

Bernardo Avoids Speculation

Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva, who is expected to leave City this summer, also refused to be drawn into speculation regarding Guardiola’s future.

The Portuguese midfielder said any announcement would have to come directly from Guardiola himself, adding that the decision belongs entirely to the manager.

For now, Guardiola’s next move remains uncertain, but with conversations expected soon at boardroom level, attention around Manchester City is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.