MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola paved the way for a new contract for Vincent Kompany after saying he hopes the defender is still a Manchester City player when he play his testimonial next season.
The City captain will mark 10 years at the club in August 2019 with a testimonial game at the Etihad Stadium and has generously decided to donate all the profits to the city's homeless.
After suffering from persistent injury problems in recent years, Kompany, whose current contract runs out in June, has made a solid start to the season, including Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Oxford United, and could be rewarded with a new deal.
"Yes, that is my wish," Guardiola told a news conference when asked about Kompany being a City player in August. "Ten years is a lot. It's incredible. He played the Carabao Cup like it's the final of the Champions League. That means a lot to me.
"If he plays five minutes then they are going to be the best five minutes in his life. He is a good example fro Phil Foden and the rest of our squad. Unfortunately in the past it was the injuries, but I think in the last few months he's feeling better."
City's other priority for a new contract is Raheem Sterling, with the forward having fewer than two years remaining on his current deal.
The 22-year-old has been criticised in the past for lacking a clinical edge in his finishing but he had his best ever season in City's title-winning campaign when he scored 23 goals in all competition.
Sterling already has three goals in five Premier League matches this season and Guardiola believes he is getting even better.
"I think his performances are higher," he said. "My feeling is that he's more mature than last season. I like it.
"Sometimes it's about the statistics but also how he produces it. Maybe I'm wrong but my feeling is that he believes in himself more, he is taking on more responsibility. That's good.
"Maybe the stats are wrong. But our target is to make them feel better than the previous season."