PEP GUARDIOLA has given the clearest indication yet he will stay at Manchester City beyond the end of his contract in the summer.
The Etihad chief previously said the World Cup break will be the ideal time for him to chat to club bosses about his future.
And he has also indicated much will depend on if his Man City players are still responding to his methods after his 6-and-a-half-year hot-seat stint.
But with not long to go until he waves his stars off for a month or so, he admits they are giving him the energy and enthusiasm to keep going.
Pep said: âI give them enthusiasm â but they give it to me.
âThe way they play, what I saw for 65 minutes, I see the faces of our people, they give me the energy for the future, for Chelsea and Brentford.
âThere are things you cannot see, like how happy they were in locker room and the training was perfect â even the guys who didnât play were amazing in training.
âThat made me think we are there. That makes me feel really happy, we are able to do it all together and thatâs really good.â
City are hoping to organise a warm-weather training camp in Abu Dhabi in December for the players not involved in the latter stages at the World Cup.
Owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak are both based in the Middle East and the trip would provide the perfect opportunity to talk about a possible extension.
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Much is likely to depend on whether Guardiolaâs family are happy for him to continue.
His wife Cristina moved back to Barcelona in 2019 with their youngest daughter, so will have to give the thumbs-up to any new deal.
Pep plans to take a couple of weeks off after Saturdayâs clash with Brentford, before getting back to work early next month.
