Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, and Cesc Fàbregas are named as potential successors amid belief this could be the manager’s final season.
Manchester City have reportedly begun preparing for the possibility of life after Pep Guardiola, with a three-man shortlist emerging as the club considers potential successors. According to The Telegraph, there is growing belief inside the club that this season—Guardiola’s tenth in charge—could be his last.
The early names under consideration include former midfield maestros Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca, who recently left Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively. They are set to be joined by a familiar Premier League figure: Cesc Fàbregas, once a Guardiola protégé at Barcelona and now forging his own coaching reputation in Italy’s Serie A with Como, who sit sixth in the table.
Fàbregas, who took over as Como’s head coach in July 2024, is thought to be open to leaving only for a top job in England or Europe. His progress has attracted admirers both in England and across the continent, positioning him as a sentimental yet serious candidate.
While club sources have dismissed the reports as “pure speculation,” the pace of rumours suggests City are quietly laying groundwork for what would be one of the most significant managerial transitions in modern football. Guardiola’s potential departure would mark the end of a defining decade for the club—a period marked by domestic dominance and a historic Champions League triumph.
For now, the focus remains on the current campaign. But behind the scenes, the task of imagining a future without Guardiola appears to have quietly begun.
Similar Posts:
- Guardiola Dismisses Exit Talk, Insists He’s Delighted at Manchester City
- Man City Eye Chelsea’s Maresca as Guardiola Succession Plan Takes Shape
- Gossip: Manchester City Braces for Possible Guardiola Exit Next Summer
- Cesc Fàbregas Emerges as Top Contender for Stuttgart Managerial Role
- Pep Guardiola’s Future at Manchester City in Doubt as Pundit Predicts Early Exit
