(REUTERS) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he is approaching the end of his coaching career and the process of bidding goodbye has already started.

The 45-year-old Spaniard, who replaced Manuel Pellegrini at the start of the season, believes his current stint at City could be one of his last managerial assignments.

"I will be at Manchester for the next three seasons, maybe more," Guardiola told NBC. "I will not be on the bench until I am 60 or 65 years old. I feel the process of my goodbye has already started."

Guardiola racked up three La Liga trophies and two Champions League wins in four years at Barcelona before moving in 2013 to Bayern Munich, where he claimed three consecutive Bundesliga crowns.

"I am arriving at the end of my coaching career, of this I am sure," he added.

Guardiola has struggled to make an instant impact at City, who are currently third in the English Premier League table on 42 points and trail leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand, by seven points.