No one at Manchester City is panicking about Pep Guardiola's future as manager of the Premier League champions — but there's an acceptance that it won't be long before the questions start again.

Guardiola, 51, is out of contract in the summer and, without fresh terms being agreed, he could leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season. City have made no secret of their desire to keep hold of Guardiola, winner of four Premier League titles and five other major trophies since he arrived in 2016, but asked in August about whether this could be his last year at the club, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was typically vague.

"I wouldn't change my life here one second," he said. "It's seven seasons already. We spoke with the club. Middle of the season, end of the season, we will talk again about how we feel and decide what's best for the club."

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"I said many times that, if they want it, I'd like to stay longer, but at the same time I have to be sure."

Ideally, City would like to be in a position to announce an extension to Guardiola's contract during the break for the World Cup.

Premier League fixtures have been suspended between Nov. 13 and Dec. 26 to accommodate the tournament in Qatar, leaving ample time to conclude negotiations and sign on the dotted line. Confirmation before the restart on Boxing Day would put the issue to bed well before Guardiola enters the last six months of his contract and leave everyone at the Etihad free to focus on the title race and the business end of the Champions League.

But should the matter begin to drag on into the second half of the season, it becomes a problem City could do without. If players were to start returning from the World Cup with Guardiola's future still up in the air, it would invite unavoidable questions about what happens next — both for Guardiola and the club.

City would need time to search for a new manager. They are admirers of Julian Nagelsmann's work with Bayern, former New York City boss Patrick Vieira has impressed at Crystal Palace, and ex-City captain Vincent Kompany has started well at Burnley — but appointing a new manager, whoever it is, is not an easy process.