Pep Guardiola exit rumours have been heating up since it was revealed Manchester City are considering acting internally towards the end of the Premier League season for the right to sign the next manager. The club have said Guardiola is yet to sign for a year, but several sources close to the deal believe the Spaniard may be in a position to move on after Sunday’s game at Aston Villa.
It’s left some head-to-head uncertainty over Guardiola’s future and kicked off a small raft of conversation throughout English football. While City have been in control of the Etihad Stadium for almost 10 years, they may be reaching the end of just one of the most prolific managements the Premier League has seen. There are apparently plans in the works to pay tribute to Guardiola’s phenomenal legacy should he decide to leave awarding the club staff, senior squads and clubs executives.
There are speculation that Manchester City would be propped up for a memorial which could set in stone Guardiola’s legacy at the club forever. The Spaniard is one of the measures being considered, and it is expected that the new North Stand will correspond with the name that he gives to the club.
But Guardiola has on several occasions said he isn’t leaving. Before the FA Cup win over Chelsea, he claimed he still has “one more year” on his contract. He made the same appeal on the eve of City’s visit to Bournemouth with the briefest of replies.
But at the back of the scenes, arrangements seem to be different.
According to sources close to the club, there are several City squad members that are expecting a goodbye message from Guardiola in the club’s last game of the season. Inter-house moves surrounding the succession process have reportedly stepped up a gear in recent weeks, and, in particular, the former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been put forward as the leading choice to replace Conte.
Maresca already has the knowledge of the City organisation having worked with Guardiola in the previous coaching stint. His tactical approach and his focus on possession football make him an attractive target if it actually does happen and his history with some of the players inside the club makes him an easy choice.
In the meantime, Guardiola’s legacy at the club will stand regardless of what is to come. Since his arrival in 2016, he has transformed City into one of football’s most successful squads of all time. In his time he’s won six Champions League Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five league cups as well as the all important UEFA Champions League banner, 17 major trophies to date.
They make for eye-catching eye candy, but they make an even more impressive statement when taken in isolation.
It was a new Premier League season-leading 100 points for City in the record-breaking campaign of the 2017-18. In addition, they finished a storied Treble this past season (2022-23), to match Manchester United’s feat in 1999. Which is better, Guardiola took City four times to Premier League title in a row – an unbeaten run in English football history.
But a big reshuffle is in the air following fast recent changes within the team. Former Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Kevin De Bruyne — who left at the end of last season — and John Stones are slated to move on at the end of the season, while former Liverpool centre-back Ederson will be heading to Turkey. Kyle Walker were already sent-on loan away from Manchester.
The roll-out of those divestments has sparked the hope of a possible end to a cycle.
Whereas Guardiola’s body language at the FA Cup “celebration” also raised some debate among supporters and pundits. He was taken to photos with each member of staff separately, which included some emotional moments. He was sometimes contemplative when gazing down at the Wembley crowd, prompting speculation from many as he was immersing himself in one final victory before heading off in another direction.
Guardinola will need to think about finishing on a high note and all of the talk will focus on that. Manchester City continue to hunt for yet another Premier League winner’s trophy and the manager has been adamant that the players are not being made the focus of the media in the critical final season before him leaves the club.
But there is remaining doubt on the news now.
A Pep Guardiola Exit is about more than just a managerial switch, to City supporters. It marked the close of an era which changed the nature of the club, elevated standards throughout English football and had given an unparalleled success.
Finally, it’s down to the match against Aston Villa on Sunday. The encounter could be one of the most heartbreaking moments in the recent history of the team of Manchester City, for better or worse as Guardiola remains or leaves. Football enthusiasts across Europe will be eagerly holding their breath while another of the game’s all-time greats may soon be out of the dugout at the Etihad.
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