Manchester City braced for major organisational change with managerial and sporting director exit

Manchester City are seemingly on the verge of what could arguably their biggest change at the club since the takeover of 2008, according to a new report.

The Premier League champions are fresh off the back of a historic campaign for the club, having claimed a Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League Treble under Pep Guardiola during the 2022/23 campaign.

Some onlookers were left wondering how that would affect the ambitions and career paths of key figures in the first-team squad and above, with the summer transfer window ultimately leading to a number of significant exits from the team.

A trio of Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, and Aymeric Laporte were the most notable departures, with the former and latter making moves to the highly-influential Saudi Pro League in the summer market.

However, a new report has provided details on what could be the most significant change in Manchester City’s recent history, with information offered on the future of both Pep Guardiola, and the club’s highly successful director of football Txiki Begiristain.

According to the information of Lu Martin, speaking to El Bar de Sique on Carrusel Deportivo, Manchester City are now taking for granted that Pep Guardiola will not sign another contract extension with the club.

As such, that would lead to the City head coach leaving the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2025. However, it is further suggested that Guardiola would be joined by Txiki Begiristain – Manchester City’s sporting director – in leaving the club at the same time.

Lu Martin – a figure held in high regard for Manchester City news – is quoted by Carrusel Deportivo as saying, “The problem for (Manchester) City is that in two years Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain will leave… I think Guardiola’s cycle will end when his contract ends.”

Martin continues, “The cycle ends when the contract ends, he will not renew… The players who finish their contract will then have to decide if they leave or if they stay with the new one (manager).”

Pep Guardiola signed his most recent contract extension at the Etihad Stadium in November 2022, in a negotiation that was thrashed out over the course of an international break and involved some of the club’s most important figures including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

Manchester City are unlikely to put any pressure on their most successful manager, but will content with a whole host of external factors in their next round of talks over the Catalan’s contractual situation, including his personal life and Guardiola’s family.

As for the club’s next manager, it is widely believed that Pep Guardiola will have some say in who succeeds him in the Etihad Stadium dugout, with the likes of Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, and Burnley’s Vincent Kompany all having been admired by figures within the club over the last 24 months in particular.

Alongside Pep Guardiola, a number of key first-team players also have their existing contracts reaching a natural expiry date in 2025, with Kevin De Bruyne among that list of first-team stars.