Is Pep Guardiola preparing to depart from Manchester City? Only he is aware.
If Pep Guardiola is aware that he will depart Manchester City at the conclusion of the season, he is not disclosing it.
High-ranking sources at the Etihad Stadium recognize the heightened speculation that we may be approaching the final chapter of Guardiola’s tenure, with the 55-year-old contemplating—if not yet fully decided on—concluding his management role in the summer. However, even they assert that they do not possess definitive knowledge.
Contacts associated with SEG, the agency representing Guardiola’s team—led by his brother, Pere—indicate that any matters concerning the Catalan coach’s future are closely guarded, and this situation is no exception. Nonetheless, a flurry of rumors—primarily stemming from discussions among rival executives, agents, and players—suggests he is nearing a decision.
Guardiola still has 16 months remaining on the contract he signed in November 2024. However, it has reached a point where it would not surprise anyone at City if he opted to terminate the agreement a year early in the summer of 2026.
The contract situation
Few issues over the past nine-and-a-half years have frustrated Guardiola more than inquiries regarding his future. As someone who is deeply focused on the processes that lead to winning football matches, he perceives any external distractions as potential hindrances.
Guardiola has often attempted to address this early by signing extensions by November of his final year to prevent the latter half of the season from being clouded by uncertainty. However, when he signed his most recent contract in November 2024, there was surprise at City that it was for two years instead of one.
– Laurens’ Weekend Preview: What you need to watch across Europe
– Premier League desperation rankings: Which teams panicked in transfer windows?
– Schoenfeld: Is soccer’s newest superagent, Ali Barat, for real?
At that time, there was a sentiment that Guardiola might sign a 12-month extension to carry him through to the summer of 2026, marking a decade at the club. The fact that it turned out to be a contract until 2027 caught some at the Etihad off guard; it also raised questions about whether the additional year was intended to provide a sense of stability.
When asked about his future in early January, Guardiola was able to rely on this.
“I have a contract,” he stated. “I have said it a thousand million times. It’s 10 years here. I will leave one day, but I have a contract.”
He reiterated this when posed a similar question at his news conference on Friday.
“I have one more year on my contract,” he remarked. “The question is [the same as] one or two months ago, but I will tell you again that it is the same answer.”
A change in mood
While there has always been a sense that Guardiola could depart in the summer of 2026—ten years after his arrival from Bayern Munich in 2016—this notion has been reinforced by a noticeable shift in mood over recent weeks.
This change began following the Carabao Cup semifinal first leg at Newcastle when an Antoine Semenyo goal disallowed by VAR sent Guardiola into a frenzy regarding the state of officiating. He typically refrains from criticizing officials after draws or losses, but after the 2-0 victory at St James’ Park, he felt at ease pointing out perceived mistakes from the league defeat at Newcastle six weeks prior—not to mention the decision not to issue a red card to goalkeeper Dean Henderson during the FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace back in May.
Guardiola made further comments about referees after the 2-0 win over Wolves, and ahead of the second leg against Newcastle, he—largely without prompting—chose to address a variety of topics including the transfer expenditures of Premier League rivals, Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine, and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
He has also begun making remarks like “nice quote, eh?” when he realizes he has generated a headline, as well as addressing reporters by name and unexpectedly taking additional questions at the conclusion of news conferences when City’s media personnel are attempting to conclude. If he is aware that he may only have this platform for a limited time, he is certainly maximizing it.
Guardiola’s conflict with referees bears similarities to Sir Alex Ferguson’s reaction to Nani’s red card against Real Madrid in 2013, which contributed to Manchester United’s exit from the Champions League. Ferguson was reportedly “distraught” after the match and even declined to hold his post-match news conference. It later became clear that he was so upset because he had already resolved to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season and felt that a refereeing error had denied him a final opportunity to win the Champions League.
Despite nearing 20 years as a manager and a decade at City, Guardiola has not lost his passion for winning. His celebrations on the touchline on Wednesday, as City secured their place in a fifth Carabao Cup final during his tenure, resembled those of a novice manager pursuing his first trophy.
“I’m getting old and I have the feeling that reaching finals is more difficult,” he expressed. “I don’t want to take it for granted, and I know how challenging it is.
“I’m going to embrace the joy that we are going to play another final because it’s so difficult in modern sport and competition—tennis, golf, basketball—to reach finals and win trophies. You have to put in a lot of effort.”
City’s forward planning
City have consistently maintained a relaxed stance regarding Guardiola’s future. Clearly, they wish for their most successful manager to remain for as long as possible, but they have always understood that he is not the type to emulate Ferguson or Arsene Wenger with a tenure exceeding 20 years.
They have often found reassurance in the strength of their relationship with Guardiola. This has led club executives to feel confident that, whenever the time comes, he will provide sufficient notice to allow for a proper search for a successor.
It was notable that during the breakdown in relations between Enzo Maresca and Chelsea in December and January, Chelsea sources were quick to mention that Maresca—a former member of Guardiola’s coaching staff—had been in discussions with City. The claims from Stamford Bridge were acknowledged by City, but—importantly—not formally denied.
play2:17Guardiola: Haaland is the best striker in the world
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praises Erling Haaland as the “best striker in the world” ahead of their match against Liverpool.
Typically, uncertainty surrounding the manager would create challenges for a club in the transfer market, as one of the first inquiries a player will make is about who will be in charge. However, these concerns did not hinder City from acquiring Semenyo and Marc Guéhi in January, and the club was eager to communicate this. The internal perspective was that two top Premier League players at the peak of their careers opted to join the Etihad despite interest from nearly every major club in Europe, even with the possibility of Guardiola’s departure.
Collaborating with Guardiola has frequently been a significant draw for new signings, and there has been a noticeable shift in messaging.
So … is it happening?
City are aware that a change is imminent. Club officials take pride in having a plan for every eventuality, and there is a similar sentiment this time.
If Guardiola decides to step down at the end of the season, City believe they will be ready. They have navigated the departures of director of football Txiki Begiristain, COO Omar Berrada, and director of football transactions Rafi Moersen in recent times, along with several key players.
Transitioning away from Guardiola will be significantly more challenging, but according to well-informed sources, it will not be unfeasible. That, however, remains to be seen: after all, Manchester United are still grappling with the aftermath of losing their own legendary manager 13 years ago.
City feel more at ease with the timing of a potential exit this summer compared to 12 months ago. The consensus was that attempting to appoint a new manager during a summer already complicated by the FIFA Club World Cup would have been excessive.
Guardiola has previously stated that he is not one to deliberate extensively. He makes decisions swiftly based on instinct and emotion, and it is possible that he could still be influenced by results between now and the season’s conclusion—whether positive or negative.
For the time being, though, he remains tight-lipped. This means that the speculation will persist until there is a change in the situation.
