It has been stated that Pep Guardiola, who has led Manchester City for nine years at the Etihad Stadium, will leave the position in 2025.
Pep Guardiola is “set to leave” Manchester City at the end of the following season, according to a Sunday Daily Mail article, albeit this has not yet been formally confirmed.
Although the Blues would prefer that Guardiola continue, he has one year left on his contract and it’s been said by sources that this will be his last.
With the amazing football, dominance, and success that Guardiola has brought to the blue side of Manchester, this is the news that fans have undoubtedly been afraid of for years.
The choice of a successor for one of the greatest managers in history will be crucial for the team, and Manchester City News writers have suggested a few candidates.
Michel – Girona
For City supporters, life after Guardiola is a scary prospect, and some are yearning for a well-known figure to take his place.
Miguel Angel Sanchez Munoz, also known as Michel, is a player who may not have the biggest name yet but is still deserving of the club’s consideration. He made incredible progress with Girona in 2023–2024.
Girona, owned by the City Football Group, will compete in the Champions League for the first time in 2024–2025 after Michel overcame the odds and led the team to an incredible third-place finish in La Liga.
After defeating Carlo Ancelotti, he was eventually voted La Liga Coach of the Year, and four of his players were selected for the Team of the Season.
According to reputable performance analysis website Hudl, the Spaniard possesses a “exciting, entertaining, and tactically sophisticated” playing style, which suggests he would be a good Pep successor.
He is also compared to Pep in that he has a tendency to get quite animated on the touchline. Although it would be a significant step up for Michel, City officials might be open to giving him a try.
In a manner, Michel is an up-and-coming coach, and City supporters are perhaps more patient with him than they would be with an established coach who is expected to produce results right away.
Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
Doesn’t chasing Mikel Arteta as the next City manager make some sense? Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one.
Arteta spent years learning directly from Guardiola, went on to manage a large team under extreme pressure, greatly improved them with sound principles, and had an eye-catching style of play.
Last season, his Arsenal team was able to equal City point for point and only lost the championship by that margin. Since Guardiola took over as manager in his first year, only Jurgen Klopp has accomplished it.
Artemetra is a seasoned Premier League player who is already acquainted with the team; snatching him away from the Gunners would also derail a major opponent. In actuality, it makes perfect sense.
Julian Nagelsmann – Germany
Even though Julian Nagelsmann’s tenure as Germany’s manager doesn’t end until 2026, the Mail’s article included his name on a list of potential successors to Guardiola.
Like Guardiola, the German manager is among the world’s most adaptable tactical minds in football.
Nagelsmann is a talented football player who specializes in possession dominance and numerical advantage. He frequently lines up with five offensive players.
Given his stylistic resemblance to Guardiola and his stellar performances at Leipzig and Bayern, he might make a wise replacement for the Catalan.
Xabi Alonso – Bayer Leverkusen
Similar to Nagelsmann, Xabi Alonso is thought to be a strong contender to take Guardiola’s place at Manchester City, according to the Daily Mail article that was previously stated.
Arguably, the world’s finest young football manager is the Spaniard.
Like Guardiola, Alonso has made history at Bayer Leverkusen and shown himself to be a brilliant tactician and manager capable of completely altering a team’s culture.
It’s quite an accomplishment to take a team that was essentially thought of as “Neverkusen” and turn them into one of the greatest seasons in recent memory.
The balance in Alonso’s system is demonstrated by his emphasis on maintaining a solid defensive framework, which is defined by having five defenders while attacking with a front five.
Given that Alonso has demonstrated his exceptional ability to mentor young players such as Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, it is evident that he and Guardiola share many characteristics.
Alonso’s lack of elite experience makes him a risky choice for an appointment, yet he already possesses all the qualities of a great manager.
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