Who will replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City? originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of this season, ending a historic and record-filled decade in English soccer, the Daily Mail reported on Monday.
Guardiola’s last renewal at the Etihad Stadium, signed in November 2025, tied him to the club until June 2027, but he has apparently decided to leave his position at the end of the 2025-26 season later this week.
“It is thought that City have begun to tell their sponsor partners that the announcement is imminent. The news has also been an open secret among some of those close to Guardiola,” the Mail report read.
Logically, after this news, the question arises: who will succeed Guardiola at the Citizens? Reports point to former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Pep Guardiola to leave Manchester City, Enzo Maresca to take over
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Italian will arrive on the bench due to the Catalan’s turn with his future: “No other name. Only Enzo Maresca for the job at Manchester City when Pep Guardiola leaves,” he said.
The only question is when Guardiola will make the announcement. Everything indicates that it could be once the Premier League season ends, where the direct confrontation with Arsenal continues in search of the title.
The Italian coach has already signed his contract, according to AS, and is working on planning the squad for next season. “He knows the club and the working methods, and that is why he has been selected by Hugo Viana, the sporting director, for the difficult mission of replacing the best coach in City’s history,” explains the cited outlet.
Maresca comes from doing a good job at Chelsea (he won the Conference League and the Club World Cup), although he was surprisingly fired this same season due to disagreements with the board.
For Maresca’s arrival to materialize, in any case, an agreement with Chelsea is necessary because the Italian and the London club did not agree on the terms of his departure when it occurred. In principle, there will be no problem resolving it.
Guardiola, for his part, continues to expand his legacy in world soccer. The Catalan coach reached 41 titles as a coach after winning the FA Cup with Manchester City, after beating Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley, an emblematic venue in his career.
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