Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gives instructions to his...

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gives instructions to his players during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. Credit: AP/Scott Heppel

MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola has offered to pay the cost of a banner from fans appealing for him to stay at Manchester City.

Supporters plan to unfurl a giant flag at Saturday's home game against Fulham urging the City manager to sign an extension to his contract that expires at the end of the season.

Fans reportedly raised 1,000 pounds ($1,300) to create the banner.

“They have to bring me the bill to pay for the banner,” Guardiola said on Friday. “I don’t want them to spend money for that reason but, what can I say? Thank you so much.

“I fell in love from the first day I was here.”

Guardiola, who has been at City since 2016, has not indicated if he will sign a new deal but he reiterated his love for the club.

“I am part of this club, it’s deep inside of my bones," he told a news conference. “I love this club and it will always be that way. It cannot be different for the way they treat me. Since day one, they gave me a lot.

“I’ve said in the beginning of the press conferences, I am not going to talk about this subject," Guardiola said of his future. “When it is going to happen, it is going to happen.”