Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits he has to deliver titles after signing a new two-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.
The Chilean was entering the final year of his previous deal but has now agreed an extension to 2017 in a move that could quell speculation linking Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola with his position.
Guardiola, out of contract next summer, is long thought to have been a target for City having previously worked under the club’s chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain at Barcelona.
Pellegrini won the Premier League in his first season at City in 2013 but, after last year’s disappointing campaign, he accepts improvement is necessary.
The 61-year-old said: “It is very important for the club to trust in our work. I am very happy here at Manchester City so if both parties are happy we can continue. The support the club gives me is important. But you know in this profession you need results, so it is very important for me to have a good season and get good results.
“For me a good season with a big team is that you must win a title (trophy). You cannot say it is a very good season if you win nothing.”
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Speculation over Pellegrini’s future was rife towards the end of last season as it became apparent the club would not catch Chelsea in the Premier League and they went out of the Champions League.
It eased as City ended with six successive wins but could return if the team again perform below par. Pellegrini accepts this but insists it will not bother him.
Pellegrini, whose side meet West Brom on Monday, said: “I was used last season to the speculation. I’m not talking about Pep Guardiola. He is a manager that every team will want to manage them because he is a great manager.
“Maybe he is linked with this team more because of the relation- ship with Txiki and Ferran but I trust them and I’m sure if they want to bring in him, they will tell me. I have no problem with my relations inside the club. I know exactly how the owners think.”
