Manchester City are preparing for life without Pep Guardiola. Sources from both BBC Sport and ESPN have confirmed that the club expects the 55-year-old manager to leave the Etihad Stadium after the final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Guardiola has been at Manchester City for ten years. In that time, he has won 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups, and five EFL Cups. He is widely considered one of the greatest managers in football history.
Despite holding a contract until 2027, Guardiola has a break clause that allows him to walk away at the end of the current season. While City publicly maintains that nothing has changed and that they remain hopeful he will stay, work toward his departure is already underway inside the club.
What the Club and Guardiola Have Said
Guardiola has consistently deflected questions about his future throughout the season. When asked ahead of the FA Cup final whether Wembley would be his last visit there as City manager, he said “no way” and pointed to having “one more year” on his contract. In a BBC Sport interview before the final, he said plainly: “Yeah, I am here, I have a contract.”
But his answers have done little to quiet the speculation. At a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Bournemouth, he was asked again and simply sighed before repeating the same line about having one more year.
City sources told ESPN that “nothing has changed” when pressed on Monday. However, multiple other sources confirmed to both ESPN and BBC Sport that players and staff inside the club believe Guardiola will not be returning next season.
Who Will Replace Guardiola at the Etihad?
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is the frontrunner to take over at Manchester City. Maresca, who left Stamford Bridge in January 2026, previously served as Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad and knows the club well. Sources told both BBC Sport and ESPN that he has already been sounded out about the position.
Maresca managed Chelsea to the Premier League in the 2024-25 season before his departure from West London earlier this year. His familiarity with City’s style of play and his relationship with the club make him the natural candidate in the eyes of City’s hierarchy.
No official announcement has been made, with City bosses keen to avoid any distractions while the team is still in the Premier League title race.
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A Legacy That Will Not Be Forgotten
City will be celebrating Guardiola’s 10-year tenure with the club by naming a stand at the Etihad Stadium after him. One of the club’s options is the new, expanded North Stand. There is also a trophy parade planned for the day after the Aston Villa game, for both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
If confirmed, Guardiola’s departure will be the end of the most successful era in Manchester City’s history. His City side won four successive league titles, and in 2022-23 were the first English club to achieve the Treble.
Regardless of whether he wins the Premier League championship on the last day or not, Guardiola leaves behind a club completely transformed.
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