Pep Guardiola: Part of me will leave Man City when Txiki Begiristain goes

Pep Guardiola admits part of him will leave Manchester City next summer with the departure of sporting director Txiki Begiristain.

But the City manager maintains he has not made a decision about his own future, even though he admits an interest in international football.

Guardiola, winner of six Premier League titles and the Champions League in his eight years at the Etihad Stadium, is out of contract at the end of the season.

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Speculation over his future has intensified in recent days following the announcement that Begiristain, a long-time colleague at both City and Barcelona, is to retire – while he was also linked with the England job before Thomas Tuchel was appointed this week.

Guardiola said: “Part of me is leaving, I would say.

“A friend of mine and one of the architects of one of the best teams ever from Barcelona, and now here.

“I knew the decision for a long time, for family and personal reasons, and I know how grateful he is for this experience here.

“Personally he will be missed a lot. He helped me a lot in my period in Barcelona and of course here.

“But I have the opinion the club is so solid, incredibly well structured. It has to be like that. All families have to move on and the club will move on.”

The situation is not unfamiliar given Guardiola has allowed all his previous contracts to run into their final months before signing extensions.

Yet with the club already confirming the appointment of Sporting Lisbon’s Hugo Viana as Begiristain’s replacement, fuelling rumours the Portuguese Ruben Amorim could succeed Guardiola, there is considerable uncertainty.

Guardiola said at a press conference: “I have to decide. I don’t want