Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola decided at the end of last season that he would leave the Etihad when his contract expires in 2025, according to The Athletic‘s Sam Lee.
The journalist says that the club are still hopeful of changing the Spaniard’s mind but, at this moment in time, Guardiola’s tenure in Manchester is set to come to a close after 9 years.
Fans on X are unsurprisingly very disappointed about the news, and some still believe Guardiola will make a U-Turn and stay:
its so over
— Cute Panda 🐼 (@Pandu_is_back) October 6, 2024
Pep please stay 😭
— SavinhoPR (@SavinhoPr_) October 6, 2024
Pep Guardiola should stay for at least one year
— Immaculate Mbaezue (@IMbaezue) October 6, 2024
Please khaldoon change his mind🥲🥹🙏
— Emir🇸🇪115 tears🏆🏆🏆🏆 (@FodenCTID) October 6, 2024
He has to make his mind up one way or another soon. Otherwise this a Liverpool klopp situation all over again. We know how that ended
— Mark Lundie (@MarkLundie1) October 6, 2024
If Pep leaves, they should look at Xavi Alonso and Dezerbi.
— esmooth (@esmooth28) October 6, 2024
What has Guardiola said about his future?
The 53-year-old was tight-lipped when asked about his contract situation in the build-up to the game against Fulham on Saturday. He said:
“I said at the beginning of the press conference. I am not going to talk about this subject. What is going to happen is going to happen.”
City will have put contingency plans in place
Considering how fierce the competition is at the top of the Premier League, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool having pushed them all the way in recent years, City’s board will know they have to get the next appointment right.
You would expect that the club already have a shortlist in mind. Managers including Girona’s Michel, Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso and even Mikel Arteta have been tipped to succeed Guardiola.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
