Pep Guardiola agreed a one-year contract extension with Manchester City on Tuesday, with the option of a further year, and the Catalan's decision could give an indication to the outcome of the club's alleged financial rule breaking.
The Premier League has accused Manchester City of breaking financial rules between 2009 and 2018, with the club facing 115 charges. An independent hearing into the alleged financial rule breaking started in September, with a verdict expected to be made public in 2025.
And if Manchester City are found guilty, then the punishment could be catastrophic. Unprecedented in the modern game, Manchester City could face huge fines, points deductions and even potential relegations - not to mention the stripping of the trophies they picked up during the alleged period.
Pep Guardiola signing a new deal might not clarify things at Manchester City
Pep Guardiola's decision to remain as the Manchester City manager beyond the current season - with his old deal set to expire at the end of 2024/25 - must surely suggest that both he and the club are confident of winning the case and remaining in the Premier League.
On the surface, it seems like there's complete belief that Guardiola will continue to challenge with his side at the sharp end of the table in England's top division - but when scratching a little deeper, perhaps there's more than meets the eye.
After initially signing a three-year deal when taking over Manchester City in 2016, Guardiola has now gone on to sign four extensions to keep him in the northwest of England for at least a couple more years. It must be noted, though, that in May 2018, November 2020 and November 2022, Guardiola committed to another two seasons at Manchester City outright.
So why is he only signing a one-plus-one option this time around? Does he, or the club, know something might be happening behind the scenes that requires both parties to cover their back just in case?
Guardiola has previously suggested that he would continue to manage Manchester City even if they were "relegated to League One", but that's an easy thing to say before the reality becomes apparent.
For a manager who has never not fought for elite league titles since taking charge of Barcelona's first team in 2008, question marks remain over whether he'd slum it in the third tier of English football, heading to away games at the likes of Exeter City, Mansfield Town and Stevenage on a regular basis.
And what about if a top international job becomes available in the summer of 2026, when the World Cup has just concluded and Guardiola's initial year has finished? The Catalan has previously expressed his desire to manage an international side before he finishes his career, and has been heavily linked with taking charge of Brazil and England in the past.
"A national team," Guardiola said when asked what's next in his career. "I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that."
But while England opted for Thomas Tuchel to lead them in America, Canada and Mexico, should they qualify, the German's deal finishes after the conclusion of the tournament. Regardless of how well Tuchel manages to do, the FA will likely discuss Guardiola potentially succeeding him considering his potential availability in 2026. Conversations with Pep to persuade him to take over might even happen.
Theoretically, Guardiola's new contract puts to rest any suggestions that he is looking elsewhere and that both he and Manchester City are confident of winning the battle against the Premier League's charges. In reality, everything has just become a whole lot murkier, with the 53-year-old afforded a number of get-out options should things start looking ominous.
