Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will step down as the club’s manager this summer, according to an insider.
Guardiola has been at the Etihad Stadium for ten seasons, taking over as boss back in July 2016, and he has since overseen the most successful period in the club’s history with six Premier League titles, a Champions League, five League Cups, and two FA Cups, while he could yet add to his Premier League and FA Cup tally this season.
But while the Catalan boss is out of contract in 2027, it has now been suggested that he is set to step down a year early from his position, with everyone at the club already aware of the situation.
Pep Guardiola to Leave Man City
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
According to a report by Hand of Arsenal, who is a known insider in the football world, everyone within Man City is aware that the current direction of travel is for the 55-year-old to leave at the end of the season.
Talks have been held within the club about naming a stand in his honour once he departs, and while the club are still hopeful he may yet perform a U-turn, they are prepared for his exit this summer already.
It’s suggested that the reason the story hasn’t been reported more openly by major news outlets is that there is always a chance he changes his mind, which would leave their credibility in the mud, but it’s believed that this will be Guardiola’s final season in the Premier League.
Guardiola is widely considered to be one of the greatest managers of all time, winning everywhere he has been and transforming football with his possession-heavy style and attacking football which has dominated the continent for the best part of 20 years.
Man City Agree Deal for Maresca
Enzo Maresca
In further news, it’s also reported that Man City have an ‘in-depth agreement’ with Enzo Maresca to replace Guardiola this summer as their next manager.
The Italian, who Guardiola described as ‘the best manager in the world’, was part of Guardiola’s coaching staff before departing for Leicester as a head coach, where he earned them promotion to the Premier League before taking over at Chelsea, where he won the Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup with them.
However, he is now a free agent after leaving Stamford Bridge in January, and he looks set to be the man to take over the mantle of replacing Man City’s greatest ever in the dugout.
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