Four managerial replacements for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City revealed amid ‘expected’ departure

Manchester City officials have started succession planning in the event that Pep Guardiola leaves the club at the end of next season.

The 53-year-old won a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, clinching his sixth English top-flight title in seven years, and his 17th piece of silverware since moving to east Manchester in 2016.

Guardiola’s side also won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup during the 2023/24 campaign, but were unable to lift a fourth trophy of the season at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, as Manchester City concluded the campaign with a 1-2 loss to rivals Manchester United in the Emirates FA Cup Final.

The Sky Blues failed to become the first club to win the Premier League and FA Cup back-to-back, after first-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo inflicted an agonising first defeat since December.

Manchester City had secured an eighth Premier League title with a 3-1 win over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, beating Arsenal to the trophy for the second successive season with victory against the Hammers.

The conclusion of the campaign could mark the end of Guardiola’s penultimate season in east Manchester however, with the Catalan out of contract in 2025 and currently ‘expected’ to leave the club at the end of next season, according to Jack Gaughan.

Etihad officials are claimed to ‘fear’ that Guardiola will conclude his tenure at Manchester City next year, despite wanting the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss to sign a fourth contract extension.

Executives have therefore reportedly started succession planning, with four mangers emerging as leading contenders to replace Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium next summer.

The Mail claim that Girona manager Michel has been ‘talked up as a potential candidate’ after ‘impressing’ in La Liga this season, with the Blues’ sister-club securing a UEFA Champions League spot in Spain.

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann is also considered as a contender alongside Xabi Alonso, who is ‘highly thought of’ after leading Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible domestic double.

Roberto De Zerbi, who surprisingly left Brighton following the conclusion of the campaign last weekend, is ‘admired’ by Guardiola himself, with the Catalan having continually praised the Italian head coach during his time in England.