Manchester City considered Saudi Pro League manager as Pep Guardiola replacement
Manchester City considered Saudi Pro League manager as Pep Guardiola replacement Prior to settling on their primary choice, Manchester City officials reportedly eyed Matthias Jaissle as part of post-Pep Guardiola contingency planning. The highly-rated German has spent the last three years elevating Al-Ahli into a force within the Saudi Pro League. While Jaissle was claimed to be on the radar, City have ultimately moved forward with a deal for Enzo Maresca to handle the immediate managerial transition.
New claims in light of confirmation surrounding Pep Guardiola’s imminent Manchester City exit have now pointed towards a new name considered as a potential successor within the Etihad Stadium. Reports following up confirmation of the Catalan’s exit from Manchester City at the end of the ongoing season have revealed a contractual break clause allowing Guardiola to depart a year earlier than the 2027 expiry date. And with the 55-year-old’s legendary 10-year tenure officially drawing to a close, supporters have been scrambling to uncover the candidates identified by Sporting Director Hugo Viana before looking ahead to the next era at the football club.
Enzo Maresca to sign three-year deal as Manchester City manager, confirms Fabrizio Romano While it has since been confirmed that former Manchester City assistant and Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has already reached an agreement in principle to succeed Guardiola, the club’s extensive process certainly left no stone unturned when building a shortlist. The left-field option to replace Pep Guardiola revealed Now, according to the information of journalist Ismael Mahmoud , Al-Ahli’s Matthias Jaissle was on Manchester City’s list of potential options to replace Pep Guardiola this summer, while the German coach is also said to be admired by Liverpool. Matthias Jaissle’s rise to prominence in the Middle-East Jaissle’s mention in reporting is likely to come as a surprise to many supporters, although the 38-year-old German broke through within the Red Bull football ecosystem , winning consecutive Austrian Bundesliga titles.
His tactical flexibility and proven ability to manage world-class superstars like Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez at Al-Ahli have kept his stock incredibly high among elite European sporting directors looking for progressive coaching profiles. And the fact that Liverpool are also credited with an admiration underscores the high regard in which he is held across the continent. However, with Hugo Viana prioritising a manager already deeply familiar with the Etihad Stadium environment, Enzo Maresca ’s impending arrival has effectively closed the door on any experimental appointments.
Manchester City to make major Etihad Stadium change in honour of Pep Guardiola As Manchester City prepare for their season finale against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, supporters can look ahead to bidding farewell to their greatest-ever manager in the knowledge that the future of the club is already in place.