Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has extended his contract with the club until June 2017 and three key members of the Chilean’s staff, Ruben Cousillas, Xabier Mancisidor and Jose Cabello, have been handed similar extension agreements.
Pellegrini declared his pleasure at agreeing the deal, telling mcfc.co.uk: “I am proud to manage Manchester City FC and am therefore very pleased to have agreed this contract.
“I have a very good quality group of players and a great team of people to work with on and off the field and at all levels of the Club.
“I am focussed on the coming season and confident that my team and I will respond to the constant support shown to us by everyone including of course our fantastic fans.”
CLUB STATEMENT: Manuel Pellegrini extends contract. Read: http://t.co/xXN1tS1KhO #mcfc pic.twitter.com/oKJiTqAooX
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) August 7, 2015
His first task of the forthcoming season will be to overcome West Brom on Monday evening.
Gael Clichy (ankle) and Fabian Delph (hamstring) are City’s only injury concerns ahead of the match at the Hawthorns with David Silva and Samir Nasri expected to be available for selection following brief illness.
City’s South American quartet of Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and Fernandinho are fit after a late return to pre-season training following the Copa America this summer and Pellegrini will make a late decision on their involvement.
The Chilean has refused to rule out more transfer activity before the end of the transfer window at the end of the month, saying: “It’s not easy to bring a player here, not only because of the amount of money but because we need special players, we’ll see in the next weeks.”
One such special player who has already arrived at the Etihad is Raheem Sterling who was signed from Liverpool earlier in the summer and Pellegrini praised the extra dimension he has added to City’s attacking options.
“The media have been talking about the price, but he’s an English player, young, with quality, speed and technical ability. He will improve every year playing with the likes of Yaya, Silva, Kun, they will help him.” said Pellegrini who also added that his attacking policy would continue.
“I think the style with this group will continue as it has in the last two seasons.” said the Chilean.
“It’s not fortune that we have been the team that scores most goals, we didn’t win the title but we were an attacking team, maybe we need to be more competitive or play with more concentration at times.”
City retain interest in other midfielders Paul Pogba (Juventus) and Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg) has been well documented this summer while Marca have reported that Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin turned down an approach by City to agree a new deal with the Spanish club.