21 May 2026 07:02 BST |
5 min read
Manchester City are braced for a summer of major upheaval, with Pep Guardiola’s impending departure likely to have a sizeable ripple effect.
The Cityzens have been a team in transition for two seasons, as evidenced by their failure to yet again win the Premier League. Going two seasons without a league title is something that was previously unheard of for a Guardiola-coached side.
The squad looks almost unrecognisable from the team that won a historic treble in 2023, and more major changes have already been announced. Captain Bernardo Silva and defensive stalwart John Stones will depart the club, leaving behind massive gaps.
Worse still is that Guardiola himself is on the way out. Rumoured for months, it was ostensibly confirmed on Tuesday that the 55-year-old is set to leave Man City after Sunday’s game against Aston Villa. An open-top bus parade will be held next week to celebrate his transformative impact on the club and English football at large.
His successor is already known: former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will replace his mentor, having previously served as an assistant to Guardiola. According to David Ornstein, the Italian is already coordinating Man City’s summer business with sporting director Hugo Viana.
Man City exodus?
Maresca will certainly have his hands full trying to get this squad in shape again without standard-setters like Stones and Silva. The positive is that some of the players will still know him from his previous time at the club, which should make building a rapport with the squad much easier.
However, there is only one Guardiola, and there will be a worry that his departure will damage the attractiveness of the City project. Indeed, AS surmises that there could be something of an exodus.
The Spanish outlet writes that several players, not just Stones and Silva, could follow Guardiola out the door, chief among them Rodri. The midfielder is out of contract next year and could turn down the club’s extension offer.
Rodri has reportedly become incoming Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho’s top target for the midfield, and the 29-year-old has certainly made no secret of the fact that he would be honoured to don Los Blancos’ famous white – despite his Atletico Madrid past.
The report also posits that Erling Haaland could reconsider his future after Guardiola’s exit, though a summer departure looks a long shot. “The best coach in the world” was a major reason why the Norwegian signed a whopping contract until 2034 last year.
Haaland is known to harbour ambitions of eventually playing for one of the big teams in Spain, having spent a lot of time in the country as a child. He is a dream target for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, and Pep’s exit could accelerate Haaland’s eventual move to LaLiga.
Another player – not mentioned by the article – who could face an uncertain future is Gianluigi Donnarumma, who does not appear to be particularly suited to Marescaball.
During the Italian’s time at Chelsea, promising goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic was axed because he was not deemed good enough in possession. This fate could also befall Maresca’s compatriot, given that he has struggled with the ball at his feet this season.
And indeed, it may not be far-fetched to suggest that Donnarumma is not in it for the long haul. After all, his agent Enzo Raiola effectively confirmed as much in January, mere months after the Italy international joined Man City.
“The other day he told me that playing [at Man City] for five or six years would be an adventure – but it was a joke,” Raiola said. “If the opportunity to return to Italy arises, we will seize it.
“Already in the summer, some clubs had shown interest when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain was expiring. Then, Manchester City came along.”
It will be interesting to see how Maresca navigates the inevitable upheaval at Man City. It could make or break his tenure.
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