MADRID: Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola, who has led the club to seven trophies in two seasons, will sign a one-year contract extension on Wednesday, the Spanish champions revealed.

"The expected announcement of Guardiola’s continued presence on the bench is a reality," said the club in a statement posted on their website.

Guardiola`s contract expired on June 30 but the 39-year-old agreed in January to extend it by one season while Joan Laporta was still the president of the club.

Barcelona`s new president, Sandro Rosell, said shortly after he was elected on June 13 that he would try to get Guardiola to sign a six-year contract extention.

The lack of a written contract fuelled media speculation at the end of last season that the coach could leave the Catalan giants.

Guardiola, a former Barcelona midfielder, took charge of the club in June 2008 following a spell as boss of their B team.

Under his watch Barcelona won two successive La Liga crowns, in 2009 and 2010, as well as the 2009 Champions League.

BDST: 1552hrs, July 14, 2010