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Page last updated at 13:50 GMT, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 14:50 UK

Pep Guardiola signs new deal as coach of Barcelona

Barca coach Pep Guardiola
Guardiola was an instant success as coach of Barcelona

Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola has signed a new contract to stay with the Spanish champions until June 2011.

The 39-year-old has led Barca to seven trophies in two seasons, including the 2009 Champions League and two successive La Liga crowns.

Guardiola made a verbal agreement in January to stay on for another season.

He put pen to paper on a new deal with the Catalan side following a meeting with new club president Sandro Rosell on Wednesday.

The new contract had been delayed by Barcelona's presidential elections, with Rosell assuming control from the outgoing chief Joan Laporta.

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The lack of a written contract had led to some speculation towards the end of the season that Guardiola could leave, with suitors said to include Inter Milan, who knocked his side out of the Champions League this season.

Guardiola, who spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and coached their B team before taking control of the first-team squad in June 2008, signed a similar one-year deal last summer.

As he looks to continue his success at the club, Guardiola will have the services of David Villa for the forthcoming season after the Nou Camp outfit signed the striker for £34.2m from Valencia just before the World Cup.

His squad could be bolstered further as Barcelona try to lure Spanish international midfielder Cesc Fabregas from the clutches of Arsenal.

However, their attempts to sign the Gunners star could prove problematic from a financial perspective.

Barcelona failed to pay their players at the end of June and have sold Dmitro Chygrynskiy and Yaya Toure as well as taking out a £129m loan to generate extra funds.

The loan was signed on Wednesday and a club statement read: "The operation forms part of a new strategic plan devised by the new board, presided over by Sandro Rosell."

Rosell told radio RAC1: "Club members can relax. The club is not facing bankruptcy and this week we will have the tools... to pay the salaries of our players, technicians and employees."

He has also stated that the club have 89m euros (£75m) to spend on players, although he has said Barcelona "would not pay the 50-60m euros that I have read about" for Fabregas.



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see also
Barcelona fail to pay squad wages
07 Jul 10 |  Europe
Villa completes Barcelona switch
21 May 10 |  Europe
Barca clinch La Liga league title
16 May 10 |  Europe
Barcelona 1-0 Inter (agg 2-3)
28 Apr 10 |  Europe
Guardiola the conqueror
28 Apr 10 |  Europe
Guardiola agrees new Barca deal
20 Jan 10 |  Europe
Guardiola praises Barca bravery
27 May 09 |  Europe
Guardiola's guiding hand
27 Apr 09 |  Europe


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