Pep Guardiola says his future at Bayern Munich will be decided next week

Pep Guardiola will announce his decision when the Bundesliga is halted for the winter break

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola will announce whether he will continue coaching Bayern Munich next season in a week’s time. The Spanish manager’s current deal with the Bavarian club ends in the summer of 2016 and he has still not renewed his contract.

The 44-year-old oversaw his side’s qualification for the DFB Pokal quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Darmstadt 98 thanks to an outrageous Xabi Alonso volley from 25 yards out. After the game, Guardiola was asked about his future at the club.

“Tonight, I have no answer,” Guardiola answered. “Next week, you will know the answer. Next week there will be clarity.”

Manchester clubs linked with Guardiola

Guardiola has been linked with a move to the Premier League with both Manchester United and Manchester City said to be monitoring his situation. While Manchester City has his old colleague in Txiki Begiristain as Director of Football at the Etihad. Meanwhile, club CEO Ferran Soriano also worked at Barcelona till 2008.

On the other hand, Manchester United are also on the lookout for Louis van Gaal’s eventual replacement. Although his contract runs out in 2017, he is under pressure after a bad run of form that has seen the Red Devils winless in the last five matches.

They are already out of the Champions League and recently lost to newly-promoted side Bournemouth. Van Gaal’s ‘philosophy’ has also been questioned over the course of the season with fans unhappy with the club’s style of play.

Guardiola was also Sir Alex Ferguson’s first choice as his replacement at Old Trafford. The Scot had lost to the then-Barcelona manager twice in Champions League finals in 2009 and 2011 and had asked him t give him a phone call before he joined another club. But Guardiola did not and joined Bayern Munich in 2013.

Guardiola is not irreplaceable: Bayern Munich chairman

Meanwhile, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had earlier said that nobody at the club was irreplaceable and that if Guardiola left, they would get a replacement.

“No one is irreplaceable,” Rummenigge said. “Players come and go and it is the same for coaches. The coaches come in and at some point they leave. If Guardiola leaves another exceptional coach will come in.”

Speaking about Guardiola’s contract situation and the meeting next week, he said: “It is not planned to push back that date. We have always said there will be a decision in 2015.”

Bayern Munich play their last match of the year against Hannover 96 on 19 December before the winter break. Only after the game will they hold talks with Guardiola.

“I know that it's late, just days before Christmas. But the talks will be held after the Hannover match, and we'll then announce a decision.”