Football

Pep Guardiola Future: City boss reportedly sets date to leave the Etihad

Pep Guardiola Future: City boss reportedly sets date to leave the Etihad
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday May 28, 2023. - Photo by Icon sport

After leading Manchester City to their first-ever Champions League title and a magical treble, Pep Guardiola has reportedly decided when he is going to leave Manchester City. The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager joined the club in 2016 but now, for the first time, has his eyes set on other jobs and challenges.

According to a report in the Guardian, which has been backed by other sources online, Guardiola will depart Manchester City when his current contract expires in 2025. The Catalonian signed that deal six months ago and it now seems like it will be his last at the club.

If Guardiola does leave in 2025 then he will have spent nine years at Manchester City, which is far longer than his previous two managerial stints. At Barcelona, he was at the helm for four seasons, while he was the main man at Bayern Munich for three seasons.

When Guardiola joined City in 2016, he signed a three-year deal at the Etihad Stadium and many believed that he would do those three years and then leave. However, he has seemingly fallen in love with the club and English football which has resulted in him staying well beyond what was expected.

Leaving behind a legacy

If Guardiola does indeed leave Manchester City in 2025 then he will be leaving behind a remarkable legacy, even if City go trophyless over the next two seasons. In his seven-year stay in England so far, Guardiola has led City to five League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and one Champions League.

Over those seven years, he has led City to the highest points total in Premier League history over a single season (100), a domestic treble, a treble, and the club’s first-ever Champions League title. He will not only go down as the club’s greatest-ever manager but also one of the very best coaches to ever manage in England.

The way he has gone about his work has been special, too. The football that some of his best City sides have played has been out of this world and he has introduced English fans to the likes of Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Ruben Dias, and Erling Haaland.

The only blemish next to his name, as things stand, is the fact that the club are currently facing 115 charges relating to how they have constructed his super team. If City are found guilty of financially bending the rules, then all of these accolades could be stripped from him by 2025.

Where next for Guardiola?

If Guardiola does leave City in 2025 then it’s fair to say that he will also be leaving English football. Considering his attachment to the club, it is near-impossible to imagine him managing anyone else in the Premier League.

The Catalonian is said to be interested in managing in Italy and launching an assault on the Serie A title. After managing in England, Spain and Germany, a movie to Italy does seem the most logical, however, he could also be tempted by a move to a PSG or a return to Barcelona if things don’t work out with Xavi over the next two years.

One other option for the 52-year-old is to go into international management. With 2026 a World Cup year, Guardiola could take over an international powerhouse such as Brazil or Germany in the summer of 2025 and conquer the world a year later.


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