The Man City icon and former Barcelona star: Five contenders to replace Pep Guardiola
With the end of an era looming as Pep Guardiola reportedly prepares to depart Manchester City after a glittering decade, we take a look at the front-runners to replace him
Pep Guardiola is reportedly set to leave Manchester City at the end of the current Premier League season with an announcement of his departure expected this week. Whoever replaces him at the Etihad will have difficult shoes to fill following his glittering reign at the club. Guardiola arrived at City in 2016 and has won 20 titles including a treble of Premier League , Champions League and FA Cup triumphs in 2022/23 emulating Sir Alex Ferguson ’s Manchester United team from 1998/99.
The most recent trophies won by Guardiola’s side are the 2025/26 Carabao and FA Cups with City completing a domestic cup double last weekend having beaten Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley - and they could yet win yet another title with the Premier League crown still mathematically up for grabs. After the FA Cup final, Guardiola affirmed that he still had one-year left to run on his contract with City, but rumours have grown over the last 24 hours that the Catalan will be calling time on his City career following this Sunday’s Premier League finale. With his exit growing ever more likely, here are some of the candidates that could replace him: Enzo Maresca Ex-Chelsea and Leicester boss Enzo Maresca is the clear frontrunner to replace Guardiola and there are even reports circulating that he has already agreed to join the club.
Guardiola’s former assistant, the Italian is well acquainted with his management style and has long been an admirer, and played his own part in City’s treble-winning season of 2022/23, having formerly worked with the club’s academy. Guardiola himself previously called Maresca “one of the best managers in the world”. He won promotion from the Championship with Leicester and continued that success at Chelsea, winning the Conference League and last summer’s Club World Cup with the Blues before his relationship with the ownership went sour.
His somewhat acrimonious exit from Chelsea earlier this season was linked to reports of him being in talks with the City leadership over replacing Guardiola. Enzo Maresca (right) is the current favourite to replace Guardiola (Getty) Vincent Kompany Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany would no doubt be a popular pick to replace Guardiola. The Belgian played under him, spending 11 seasons at City, eight of which with the armband.
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