Pep Guardiola set to leave Man City this summer

One of the best managers to ever grace the Premier League, Pep Guardiola, has reportedly decided to bring his time at Manchester City to an end after 10 years, since signing for the Manchester club in July 2016.

The Spanish manager still has a year left on his current Etihad contract, but sources believe that the six-time Premier League winner will bow out after City’s final game of the season against Aston Villa.

Guardiola joined City a decade ago, succeeding Manuel Pellegrini in the dugout after going on a sabbatical, following spells with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

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According to a Daily Mail report, the Spaniard’s decision has become an “open secret” among people close to him. It has been rumoured for months that the 55-year-old will call it quits after this season.

Speculations surrounding Guardiola’s imminent departure at the Etihad continue to linger, even after he led City to the FA Cup on Saturday as they beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley.

Many reliable sources are of the view that it could be the last piece of silverware for the Catalan as a Cityzens boss after a trophy-laden decade in charge, lifting 19 trophies, including six Premier League titles and an historic treble.

Guardiola’s City remain fully focused on taking the Premier League title race to the final day, though their hopes of securing a seventh crown hang by a thread as they must win both remaining matches and rely on leaders Arsenal dropping points against either Burnley or Crystal Palace.

Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been linked as a potential replacement for the departing manager, who was his right-hand man before taking the job at Leicester City in June 2023.

The Italian manager has reportedly agreed on terms to replace Guardiola, after City’s sporting director, Hugo Viana, is keenly working behind the scenes to make the deal happen after identifying the former Chelsea boss as his top choice.

As a former assistant to Pep at City in the 2022-23 season, before moving to take charge of the Foxes, all fingers point directly to him as the most likely candidate to be at the helm of affairs for the Blues next season, following this news.

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