Guardiola’s City future up in the air
Reports say that Manchester City have formally asked Pep Guardiola for a decision on his future.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had his future thrown up in the air after reports emerged that suggested the club have formally asked him for a decision on whether or not he wishes to extend his contract past his current deal.
Various outlets have suggested that the Catalan coach has used the current international break to think about his future at the club he has spent a decade leading to new heights domestically and on the continent.
Guardiola’s current deal at Manchester City, which he signed in 2024, expires in the summer of 2027, meaning a decision to delay past the end of the current season would not immediately impact his role. However, City are said to be drawing up contingency plans, with former assistant Enzo Maresca linked, should Guardiola choose to walk away: “groundwork is already well underway on possible successors", reports TeamTalk.
Guardiola’s future will also affect City’s ability to attract players: were he to leave, the pulling power the club have when it comes to tempting the biggest names to England’s northwest would diminish significantly.
Pep Guardiola got the better of Mikel Arteta in the EFL Cup final 🥇
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 22, 2026
But it's @Arsenal who have the advantage over @ManCity in the title race 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/4ndqpBN1FD
Who could replace Guardiola at City?
The aforementioned report claims that all of Cesc Fàbregas, Vincent Kompany, and Xabi Alonso are shortlisted. However, it appears that at this stage, former Chelsea boss Maresca is the frontrunner for the role.
Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and former Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann have also been linked with the job.
At the time of writing, Manchester City sit in 2nd place in the Premier League, 9 points behind league leaders Arsenal. They have won the League Cup this season and are into the FA Cup quarter-finals, meaning that while a domestic treble is unlikely, a cup double is still on the cards. Real Madrid knocked them out of the UEFA Champions League after a disappointing showing over 2 legs in the Round of 16.
Pep Guardiola (2026) pic.twitter.com/vldu0lSeem
— VERSUS (@vsrsus) March 23, 2026
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