Bayern Munich prepared to extend Pep Guardiola’s contract

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is eager to extend the contract of manager Pep Guardiola past June 2016, amid reports that the German club are ready to sever ties with the Spanish tactician.

Guardiola has been rumored to be on his way out of the Allianz Arena, with some reports going so far as to say that Bayern coach had pre-contract agreement with Manchester City.

During his first two seasons in charge of the German giants, Guardiola has guided the club to back-to-back Bundesliga titles by a comfortable margin. But this year, the manager has come under increased criticism after exiting both the DFB Pokal and Champions League in the semi-final stage.

Guardiola’s lack of success in Europe has brought the most criticism, with last season’s 5-0 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid followed by a 5-3 aggregate defeat to Barcelona this season.

The coach’s tactics and man-management of the team has escalated in recent weeks, with many believing the club was ready to part ways with the Spaniard.

However, in an interview with the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge backed Guardiola saying the club had every intention of extending the manager’s deal past its current expiration date.

“It is no coincidence that Guardiola is one of the most coveted coaches,” the Bayern chairman told Süddeutsche Zeitung.

“If at some point he says ‘I’m going to do something new’, there will be 15 top clubs forming a queue.

“Don’t forget that he has won five titles here in two years, which I believe is a club record.

“We have agreed that we will talk about his future in the second half of this year, which is how things still stand.

“He knows my opinion: I want him to stay.”