Manchester City have formally asked Pep Guardiola whether he plans to see out his contract, eSPORTY understands.
In the aftermath of winning the Carabao Cup, City have sought clarity as to Guardiola’s future as they begin to put summer plans in place.
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Senior figures at City, including sporting director Hugo Viana, do not yet know whether the 55-year-old will stay or go at the end of this season.
Manchester City’s starting position is simply that Guardiola has a contract until summer 2027, but there remains a possibility Pep leaves at the end of this season.
City are looking to plan for all scenarios and would prefer Guardiola clarifies his future sooner rather than later. Sources have told eSPORTY the club held hope Pep would confirm, at least privately, he was staying during this international break.
Several summer targets, including Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, are also understood to be factoring in Pep’s future in their decision-making process.
There is no suggestion players will turn down City if Guardiola leaves, but uncertainty over his future is already impacting planning.
The club insist they are calm about the situation and have contingency plans in place in case Guardiola informs them he won’t see out his deal.
eSPORTY understands that Guardiola has always been given freedom to make up his own mind about his future despite mid-season suggestions he could be forced out the club.
Guardiola has won 19 trophies at the Etihad Stadium, including six Premier League titles and City’s preference is for him to see out his contract.
Potential Pep successors
Former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is one of the leading candidates to replace Guardiola whenever he does depart, having worked as his assistant at City.
A clause in Maresca’s Chelsea contract required the Italian to alert Blues’ bosses if an approach by another club was made. Maresca subsequently informed Chelsea he had received formal interest from both City and Juventus.
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Nothing is yet lined up between City and Maresca, but he is expected to be a strong contender for the role when Pep leaves.
New Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi was also viewed as another potential successor to Guardiola, particularly during his tenure at Brighton.
The Italian was appreciated by former City sporting director Txiki Begiristain, but Viana is believed to have put forward other candidates even when De Zerbi was still a free agent.
Former City captain Vincent Kompany and Xabi Alonso have also been linked with the role.
Club legend Kompany is making waves in the management world with his Bayern Munich side thriving this season.
They’re nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and their early season form which saw them go 27 league games unbeaten has many tipping them for Champions League glory.
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Former Burnley boss Kompany is contracted with the German giants until 2029.
Alonso, on the other hand, is a free agent having being relieved of his duties as Real Madrid head manager in January.
There have been suggestions of a summer tussle between City and Liverpool for Alonso’s signature, although the uncertainty over Guardiola’s future makes it unclear if the eight-time Premier League winners would enter that race.
But Alonso’s stock is still high given the work he did at previous club Bayer Leverkusen as he guided them to a first ever Bundesliga title, ending Bayern’s 11-year run of glory.
City insist they haven’t formally interviewed any candidates because they hope Guardiola stays until summer 2027.
Time to go?
One person who believes Guardiola has run his course at City is eSPORTY’s Adrian Durham, who likened Guardiola’s current situation to the final years of another legendary Premier League manager.
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“Pep Guardiola has been brilliant, but he isn’t anymore. It reminds me of the Wenger reign,” Durham said in January.
“The long Wenger reign at Arsenal, where he was brilliant, but it just stopped being brilliant, it was time to go and he just left it way too long. Pep Guardiola should offer to resign and here’s why.
“I have this long held policy or belief that any manager that oversees a side that suffers an embarrassing result like a cup shock or a heavy defeat, a result that shouldn’t really happen, they have a duty to the club, to the fans, to offer to resign.
“It doesn’t mean that resignation is going to be accepted, it doesn’t mean that they’re definitely going to go.
“It’s just that that manager is acknowledging, ‘I’m accountable, I’m the one to blame, I’m going to give you the opportunity to back me or get rid of me. So I’m offering that opportunity to you because I’ve failed to do my job properly.’
“Pep Guardiola’s time for that has come.”
