Pep Guardiola could yet leave Manchester City this summer and Arsenal would be set to benefit after major upheaval
There are strong rumours that this could indeed be Pep Guardiola’s final season at Manchester City, leaving the likes of Arsenal on tenterhooks to see whether the manager who has caused them so much frustration will indeed leave. Reports have circulated since last year when Enzo Maresca left Chelsea following suggestions of contact with City.
The Gunners are favourites to pip Guardiola to claiming the Premier League title and subsequently a potential domestic treble in his final season at City. Should they win their final two games there is nothing the Spaniard can do to respond.
Arsenal are also in the UEFA Champions League final for just the second time in their history, the same number Guardiola earned during his tenure with City, losing to Chelsea in 2021 before beating Inter Milan in 2023.
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In December of last year Guardiola said: “For the last three or four years in certain periods I’ve been asked that question. Sooner or later, I don’t know, 75 or 76, I will quit Manchester City.
“I understand that question when I have the end of [the] contract, but I have 18 months. I am so delighted, happy, and excited with the development of the team and being there. But that question happens every single season at certain points.
“I am okay. The club and myself we are incredibly connected in terms of the decisions we have to take and what is going to happen is going to happen.”
He joked in another press conference: “Oh my God! I have a contract, I said this a thousand million times. I know you are bored of me!”
Adding: “I will leave one day, I promise you. But I have a contract.”
Despite his agitation at the questions, there have been continuous reports that this summer is indeed expected to be the time when he leaves, barring a considerable U-turn.
What this means for Arsenal is realistically only positive. No manager that replaced Guardiola, be that Maresca or Vincent Kompany who are the two main names, can match up to the experience and managerial quality of Guardiola.
Not only that, but Man City, like Liverpool and Mohamed Salah, are losing one of their best players in Bernardo Silva, who will depart in the summer too. John Stones will also leave.
Such huge profiles and influences at the club going while Arsenal expect only to continue on the trend they have been on so far bodes well for the north London side. The challenge for Mikel Arteta has been winning his first title, and getting the players to experience such a feat of achievement.
There is a feeling that it could spark a dynasty of dominance for the club, and there is still a Champions League final, which could also be one taking Arsenal to an entirely new level never seen before in their 140 years of existence.
The pull of Guardiola for potential transfer targets, too, would be lost by City. For Arsenal, the stability of Arteta offers new players an immediate answer to any of the big questions they might have, where there are hypotheticals galore in the blue half of Manchester.
Whatever way it’s sliced, only one club comes out the better as a result of Guardiola leaving, and it isn’t Manchester City.
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