So what’s next? – Pep Guardiola questions long-term future after title success

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Pep Guardiola has cast doubt on his long-term future at Manchester City after admitting he is running out of things to achieve following a fourth straight Premier League title.

The battle for top spot went down to the final day, but the reigning champions held their nerve at the Etihad Stadium, where they could not afford a slip-up with Arsenal breathing down their necks.

Phil Foden’s fantastic double got City off to a dream start against West Ham and, after being rattled by Mohammed Kudus’ outrageous strike, a Rodri-headed effort wrapped up a 3-1 victory.

Delighted fans poured onto the pitch at the final whistle as City celebrated becoming the first team in English football history to win four successive top-flight titles.

“In terms of the numbers, nobody was better than us – the records, the goals, the points and four in a row,” said Guardiola, who praised Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

“If I landed here tomorrow and you said I’d win six Premier Leagues in seven years, I’d be like, ‘Are you crazy?’ It’s impossible. I did something incredible.

“Six Premier Leagues in seven years, in this country with modern football and the teams and everything. The teams and the organization surprise me, it’s an incredible club.”

It is Guardiola’s 12th league title in 15 top-flight seasons as a manager and he looks to add another FA Cup to his CV in next weekend’s Wembley final against rivals Manchester United.

The double would follow last season’s treble, leaving the City boss – whose deal expires in 2025 – running out of things to motivate him.

“The reality is I’m closer to leaving than staying,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “It’s been eight years, it will be nine.

“Right now, my feeling is that I want to stay next season. I talked with the club, we have time to talk next season because I have to see the players too, (to see) if they follow me, follow us, for many reasons. I’ll stay and during the season we’ll talk when I’m calm.”

Asked in the press conference if he felt he was done with English football and what he felt was still to be achieved, Guardiola shrugged and said: “I had that feeling last season.

“When we won in Istanbul (in the Champions League final) I said: ‘It’s over, what am I doing here?’ It’s over, there’s nothing left’.

“But I have a contract, I’m here and I’m still enjoying it. Some of the times I’m a little tired, but some of the times they like it and after I said “OK, we’re here.”

“(We’re) starting to win games, looking good, different players, new players, and I’m starting to think, ‘Nobody’s done four in a row, why don’t we try?’ And now I feel like “It’s over, so what’s next?” I do not know now.

“I know the next one is the FA Cup. Gary Lineker told me, I didn’t know, that no team had done back-to-back premierships and FA Cups.

“They are our rivals and now what I want is for my players to enjoy these two, three days, then we have two days to prepare for the final.”

Sunday’s match was West Ham boss David Moyes’ last game in charge of a club he guided to Europa Conference League glory last season – their first major trophy since 1980.

The 61-year-old was in good spirits despite the defeat and has no intention of rushing back into management despite the opportunities already presenting themselves.

“I will wait until (Guardiola) leaves before I come back!” Moyes said with a laugh.

“Look, I have to say that I’ve already had things coming, but they probably won’t make me move at this point.

“I want to take a break, I want to enjoy some time with my family.

“Ours is a privileged job sometimes, but we had three weeks off (last summer).

“And actually, if you get a chance, if you look at the games we’ve played in the last four years, I think it might only be Man City, possibly Liverpool, who have played the same amount of games as us.

“You might say, ‘What does that mean?’ It probably means you were successful in some way. For the club, it probably means they took more money than they probably ever did.

“But for managers and players, it means it’s been pretty tough.”