Charges verdict, transfer plan - How national media reacted to Pep Guardiola's Man City contract

Manchester City are in a buoyant mood as the Premier League returns this weekend after Pep Guardiola's new contract was confirmed on Thursday.

The Catalan manager has made history at the Etihad Stadium and that is set to continue for the foreseeable future after penning a deal until 2027. Guardiola's future had been in doubt with his last deal due to expire at the end of this season but committing to a new contract is a timely boost for a club that had lost four games on the trot prior to the international break.

His new contract could also have a range of implications on the Premier League and City as a whole and these potential consequences have been analysed in the national media. MEN Sport has taken a look at how the national media reported the news below.

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Martin Samuel at The Times delved into what Guardiola's new contract means for their current battle with the Premier League over historical financial breaches. One clause in the new deal particularly caught his eye.

"It represents a huge show of faith from Guardiola in his employers that his new contract does not include a break clause," he wrote. "If serious charges among the 115 alleged rule breaches are found proved then the effect on both the club and their leadership could be momentous.

"Not only could it lead to huge points deductions and potential relegation, it could also have an impact on whether the directors and executive team can continue in their positions if they are found to have overseen a campaign of deliberate rule breaches. That would have a large effect on Guardiola’s decision-making and operation of the team.

"There is also a possible threat