Manchester City's staff are either very good actors or they genuinely don't know which way Pep Guardiola is likely to go: does he leave the club at the end of the season, or renew for an extended stay?
Guardiola is set to go out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to make a final decision on whether or not he will renew his deal. The Catalan will have been at Manchester City for nine years come next summer.
He said on Friday: "I didn’t say I am leaving. Never ever. I would say. When I am leaving I will say I am leaving. But I didn’t say. We spoke with the club and said it’s a lot of years [I've been here], so we will see what will happen - but I am not ruling out absolutely to extend the contract. When I said I would love to stay (it’s) because I would love to stay.
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Manchester City legend Paul Dickov sees 'positive notes' around potential Pep Guardiola contract extension
Guardiola's lack of definitive clarification one way or the other means speculation will continue to bounce around, however, and former City midfielder Paul Dickov - now a pundit for Manchester City TV - is desperately hoping the manager sticks around.
Speaking in association with William Hill, Dickov said of Guardiola: “He’s the best, we all know that. With only having this year left, every press conference that he does, every interview that anybody connected with the club is going to do, is going to get asked that question until he decides what he does with his future.
"We’re all hoping that he does extend – not just City fans but the Premier League in general, he’s been that influential."
Dickov is at a loss as to what Guardiola will ultimately decide, saying: "I really don’t know. I was out in pre-season and speaking to some of the people within the club and trying to get a little hint of what Pep was going to do, but they were genuinely saying themselves that they don’t know. They want Pep to make that decision when he’s ready.
“The one thing on a positive note, sometimes in pre-season as players and staff when you are away for a long time, it can be a little bit of a drag, but I have never seen Pep look as energised in a long time.
"In and around the hotel, on the training pitch and especially in his press conferences, he seemed to have a little bit of a buzz about him and energy that maybe we haven’t seen the last couple of years because it has been long seasons, short post-seasons and straight into pre-season.
"He’s probably looked a bit tired, but he’s now energised and bubbly and raring to go. Hopefully that’s a good sign.”
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