Premier League
Man City Rumors: Guardiola’s Potential Departure And Successor Options
Pep Guardiola has long been the beating heart of Manchester City’s modern success story.
From tactical evolution to unprecedented trophy hauls, he has shaped the club into a global powerhouse. But now, as the 2025/26 season edges toward its conclusion, speculation is intensifying that the Catalan could be preparing to walk away after a decade in charge.
The rumours have surfaced before, but this time the conversations feel more serious, more credible, and far too loud to ignore.
Quiet Conversations Behind the Scenes
While there has been no announcement from Guardiola or the club, well-informed insiders suggest that Manchester City has already begun discreet talks with representatives of possible replacements. These quiet manoeuvres indicate strategic planning just in case Pep decides his cycle has reached its natural end.
The timing adds up. By the end of the season, Guardiola will have spent ten emotionally and physically demanding years at the Etihad.
His past managerial pattern is consistent, four intense years at Barcelona, a sabbatical, then three years at Bayern Munich. A ten-year stint at City is far longer than anything he has previously committed to.
Even the most dedicated managers eventually reach a point where they feel their message has been delivered, their ideas have been exhausted, or their desire for a new challenge becomes irresistible.
City’s board and supporters, eternally grateful for what Pep has built, would surely understand if he decides the time is right to step aside.
Echoes of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Departure
What City face now bears a striking resemblance to the moment Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down at Manchester United. In that case, it wasn’t only a serial winner leaving; it was a cultural architect whose influence extended far beyond the pitch.
Guardiola, too, has engraved his principles into every layer of Manchester City. The training methods, recruitment approach, youth development, playing style, and club identity all carry his imprint.
Much like Ferguson’s era at Old Trafford, Pep’s era has shaped City well beyond match days.
United’s struggle to move forward after Ferguson, despite hiring technically strong managers in David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag, and Ruben Amorim, shows the scale of the challenge ahead.
Successors inevitably suffer when expected to replicate a legendary predecessor.
City must avoid falling into the same trap.
Pep Guardiola’s Historic Achievements
Guardiola’s time in Manchester has been record-setting. His 400th victory as City manager, achieved after the 2–0 Champions League win over Galatasaray, came faster than any other manager in the history of English top-flight football.
He reached the mark in 569 games, significantly quicker than Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson, who needed 696 and 732 matches respectively.
His Champions League achievements are equally astonishing. His 117 victories in the competition leave him only seven short of Carlo Ancelotti’s record.
Over his decade in England, only six clubs have managed to avoid defeat against him, Al Hilal, Wigan Athletic, Lyon, Bodo/Glimt, Bayer Leverkusen, and Celtic.
Across his entire managerial career, Guardiola has amassed 40 trophies since he began with Barcelona B.
Beyond the silverware, he has redefined the playing style in every league he has worked in. From La Liga to the Bundesliga and now the Premier League, his influence has shaped modern football.
Replacing such a figure is not just challenging it borders on impossible.
Three Names in the Frame
Although the club has made no official approaches, three potential successors have already been mentioned, Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, and Cesc Fàbregas.
Each has a unique story, yet all share some connection to Guardiola’s footballing ideas.
Xabi Alonso is currently without a club and is admired for his record-breaking unbeaten Bundesliga season with Bayer Leverkusen.
His brief spell at Real Madrid was less successful, but his tactical intelligence and calm leadership are well documented. Having played under Pep at Bayern, he carries elements of Guardiola’s footballing philosophy. He is also being linked with a possible return to Liverpool if the club parts ways with Arne Slot.
Enzo Maresca is another compelling option. He served as one of Guardiola’s assistants at Manchester City, giving him direct insight into how the club operates.
His managerial CV features the Championship title with Leicester City and the Club World Cup with Chelsea, though his Chelsea exit was turbulent. Still, his familiarity with the City system could make him an attractive, low-transition candidate.
Cesc Fàbregas has quickly built an impressive reputation at Como, guiding the club to a competitive position in Serie A. It is believed he would only leave the Italian side for a major European opportunity.
Like Alonso and Maresca, Fàbregas shares Guardiola’s principles, having played under him during their time together at Barcelona.
Yet despite their talent, none of them can truly replace Pep Guardiola the personality, the aura, and the legacy.
The Weight of a Legacy
This looming decision places Manchester City at a delicate crossroads. The pressure to find someone who can replicate Guardiola’s success could easily become overwhelming, just as it did for Manchester United after Ferguson’s retirement.
The “glory years” continue to haunt Old Trafford, and managers there are repeatedly judged against an impossible benchmark.
If City wishes to avoid a similar fate, they must refuse the temptation to label the next coach as the “new Pep.”
No manager can be expected to replicate a decade of historic dominance, nor should anyone be burdened with comparisons before they have even stepped through the door.
