Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed that departing manager Pep Guardiola threatened to leave the club “100 times” during his decade-long spell at the Etihad, but admitted this was the first time he truly believed the Spaniard was serious.
Guardiola brought the curtain down on a historic 10-year reign at Manchester City at the end of the 2025/26 season, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that included six Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and 17 major trophies.
Although the 55-year-old still had one year remaining on his contract, he announced his departure after insisting the club needed “new energy” and a “new manager” to continue progressing.
Speaking in his annual interview with the club’s media team, Khaldoon explained that previous threats to walk away had never truly concerned him because Guardiola would eventually be convinced to stay.
This time, however, the City chairman sensed something different.
“I knew it and that’s why I didn’t fight it. Throughout these years, I’ve always fought it and always brought him back because I knew that was always the answer.
“But in this particular one, I think he knew — and I knew that he knew — and that is why it was the right thing for him and it was the natural thing.”
Khaldoon also lifted the lid on his close relationship with Guardiola, joking that his role over the years had often extended far beyond that of a chairman.
“He’s more than just the manager of the club. To me, he’s a friend. Over these years we have become close friends and I don’t know if he will admit it, but I consider myself his psychiatrist.
“Inevitably we have had a lot of ups and some downs and in the downs, he must have quit 100 times over these 10 years.”
The chairman compared Guardiola’s repeated resignation threats to the famous fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf, explaining that the Spaniard’s declarations were usually part of an emotional reaction rather than a genuine intention to leave.
“When he says I quit, it doesn’t mean he’s quitting. You don’t take it that seriously ; you have to manage him.”
Guardiola arrived at Manchester City in 2016 and transformed the club into one of the most dominant forces in world football. Despite repeatedly hinting at departure over the years, he signed contract extensions in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.
According to Khaldoon, Guardiola never originally envisioned staying beyond four or five years.
“He never thought he would stay more than four years, then more than five years. So in his mind, even year four and five it was always, ‘How much more time?’
“There was always going to be one moment where it was going to be real.”
