Guardiola penned a new two-year deal last summer, when many expected it to be a one-year extension. Could Pep change his mind? Who would replace him?
Man City Manager on 22 August, 2026OddsPep Guardiola1/1Enzo Maresca5/4Xabi Alonso5/1Luis Enrique16/1Vincent Kompany16/1Cesc Fabregas20/1
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Is Guardiola likely to stay at City for one more year?
There is a lot of uncertainty hanging over the Etihad Stadium right now. The club’s FFP charges continue to loom large, with a decision yet to be made on the club’s punishment. The other big question is who will be in charge if and when those charges are dished out to City.
Pep Guardiola is highly unlikely to want to be associated with the club if they are scrapping for Premier League survival. On the flip side, Guardiola will be torn about leaving the club at the end of a disappointing campaign in fear of tarnishing his legacy.
The Champions League is now off the table, and the Premier League seems like an increasingly tall order. Whether a possible FA Cup triumph in May is sufficient for Guardiola to sign off with a flourish remains to be seen.
The betting markets believe there’s a coinflip chance of the Spaniard sticking around for the start of next season. After the frustrating draw with West Ham, Guardiola’s post-match remarks about “being back next season” set tongues wagging.
Enzo Maresca: City’s number-one option to replace Pep
Maresca has spent a large part of his coaching career at Manchester City. He has headed up City’s Elite Development Squad and also served as one of Guardiola’s assistant managers.
If City’s owners want a replacement that understands the DNA of the club, Maresca would be a sensible choice.
Maresca steered Chelsea to the Club World Cup title last summer but failed to make inroads with the young Blues in the EPL.
His management style is heavily influenced by Guardiola, with a game model built on controlled possession. Whether City can overlook his inability to get Chelsea going domestically remains to be seen.
Could Alonso step into the shoes of his former mentor?
Despite a surprisingly underwhelming spell at the helm of Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso’s reputation remains high in the game. His work with Bayer Leverkusen continues to stand him in good stead.
The biggest question mark over Alonso is his tactical preferences. At Leverkusen, Alonso favoured a 3-4-2-1 system, which is subtly different to Guardiola’s setup.
However, Alonso has played in the Premier League. He’s well-versed with dealing with the English media and the high expectations placed upon him. Alonso also played under Guardiola in the twilight of his career at Bayern Munich, so there’s always a chance that Pep recommends him personally.
City could consider luring Enrique from the Parc des Princes
Luis Enrique continues to impress at the helm of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The Spaniard, who was Guardiola’s Barcelona teammate and later replaced him as Barcelona B boss back in 2008, has transformed PSG.
He steered PSG to their first Champions League title last season, an achievement that’s eluded Les Parisiens since the club’s Qatari owners took charge. They seem on course to compete for back-to-back UCL titles after thrashing Chelsea over two legs in the last 16.
Enrique’s biggest success is redefining PSG’s team, moving away from the ‘Galacticos’ model to a more fluent, cohesive squad. This is something that will surely resonate with City’s ownership group.
Kompany will be high on the shortlist after his sterling work with Bayern
The obvious appointment from a football romance point of view is Vincent Kompany. The Belgian, who spent more than ten years at the Etihad as a player, is a club legend. Kompany skippered the team to four Premier League trophies, half of which were under Guardiola’s management.
Kompany is someone well-capable of maintaining and driving Guardiola’s high standards on and off the pitch. After impressing with Burnley, eyebrows were raised when German giants Bayern Munich came calling.
However, Kompany has well and truly stepped up to the plate. The 39-year-old helped Bayern to last season’s Bundesliga title in his debut year, losing only two matches in the process. They are also favourites to compete for this year’s Champions League, aided by red-hot marksman, Harry Kane.
Kompany penned a new contract extension in October 2025, tying him down until the summer of 2029. Compensation for his signature would surely break the £10.2m Burnley reportedly received from Bayern back in May 2024.
Cesc Fabregas: The value underdog working miracles in Serie A
The most interesting outsider for Guardiola’s position would be Spaniard Cesc Fabregas. The 38-year-old has impressed in Italian football during his time with Como.
Fabregas started out as the club’s U19 and B team coach before stepping in as interim coach. He eventually secured the permanent role as head coach of Como in July 2024, days after being admitted to the UEFA Pro License course.
In 73 games in charge, Fabregas has enjoyed a 42.27% win rate at Como, with a +30 goal difference. He has established Como as a top-half Serie A outfit. The markets suggest he has only a 5% chance of selection for City, but he’s another that could be personally recommended by Guardiola.
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