2024-04-22 11:50:14
Pep Guardiola has been manager of Manchester City since 2016. Is the Spaniard toying with a farewell? The club is said to be already preparing for this.
Premier League club Manchester City are reportedly preparing for a possible departure from coach Pep Guardiola. This is reported by the British newspaper “Daily Mirror”. The Spaniard’s current contract expires in the summer of 2025 and the club is preparing for a scenario in which Guardiola no longer extends his working paper.
However, it is by no means certain that such a scenario will occur. At the beginning of the season, Guardiola said he could imagine extending his contract. According to the report, the city bosses don’t want to rely on that.
City already has a successor in its sights
That’s why they are said to have already kept an eye on a possible successor: Míchel Sánchez. The 48-year-old Spaniard is currently coaching Girona FC. Sánchez formed Girona into the surprise team of the season in Spain: they were only promoted to the first Spanish league in 2022, and this year they sensationally took third place. The club is one of 13 clubs in which the City owners have shares through their “City Football Group”.
Guardiola has been coach in Manchester since 2016. Since then he has won five English championships, the English Cup twice, the League Cup four times, the UEFA Super Cup once, the FIFA Club World Cup once and the Champions League once.
Despite the success, Guardiola has spoken about other career goals in the past: “I would like to experience a World Cup, a European Championship, a Copa América or whatever,” said the 53-year-old. “I don’t know when, in five, ten, fifteen years, but I would like to take part in a World Cup as a coach,” Guardiola continued. “I don’t know who wants me,” he qualified. “To work with a national team, they have to want you.” Given his success, there should hardly be a lack of interested parties.