Guardiola says he will pay for a banner urging him to stay at Man City

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola has offered to cover the cost of a banner from fans urging him to stay at Manchester City.

Fans plan to unfurl a giant flag at Saturday's home game against Fulham and urge the City manager to sign a contract extension which expires at the end of the season.

Fans reportedly raised 1,000 pounds ($1,300) to create the banner.

“You have to bring me the bill to pay for the banner,” Guardiola said on Friday. “I don’t want them to spend money for that reason, but what can I say? Thank you.

“I fell in love from the first day I was here.”

Guardiola, who has been at City since 2016, has not indicated whether he will sign a new contract but he reiterated his love for the club.

“I am part of this club, it is deep in my bones,” he said at a press conference. “I love this club and it will always remain that way. It can't be any different the way they treat me. From day one they gave me a lot.

“I said at the beginning of the press conferences that I would not talk about this issue,” Guardiola said of his future. “If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.”

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