Pep Guardiola has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola has told the Premier League club he wants leave when his contract expires in 2025, according to reports.
The Citizens won the Treble, including the Champions League, to put Guardiola in the realms of Sir Alex Ferguson in terms of legendary Premier League managers.
Man City were unlucky to be knocked out of the Champions League earlier this campaign but need one victory on Sunday to win the Premier League title, while they face struggling arch-rivals Man Utd in the FA Cup final with a Double still on.
His incredible success over the last few seasons has led some to suggest that he could depart at the end of his contract in 2025 with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein insisting yesterday that ‘there is a feeling in the industry’ that the Spaniard will leave in a year’s time.
Ornstein wrote in a Q&A: ‘I don’t think a decision has been made. As you know from last time, Guardiola tends to leave it quite late before committing. There is a feeling around the industry that he will leave in the summer of 2025, however I currently have no evidence to back this up.’
And now reports in Spain claim that Guardiola has ‘already communicated his intention to leave Manchester City in 2025 a long time ago’ with ‘a return to Barça is an option that is strongly discussed, since Joan Laporta will try to close the agreement.’
The other two potential roles for Guardiola post-2025 are said to be in international management with both the Brazilian and English football associations no doubt open to the idea.
And if Guardiola does end up leaving Man City, then another report claims that his former assistant Enzo Maresca – who is currently manager of Leicester City – Girona’s Michel and Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann are the frontrunners.
Man City also have 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules hanging over them with fans of other clubs choosing to play down their recent achievements because of the allegations.
When asked if Man City will still get respect for winning the title, Guardiola told reporters on Friday: “I think so. In world football, for sure.”
Erling Haaland and other Man City players celebrated their 2-0 victory over Tottenham in emphatic fashion but Guardiola saw a more focused team back in the dressing room.
Guardiola added: “I saw perfectly the reaction in the locker room at Spurs. They were relieved, wow, but there were not extra celebrations or something like that. They were happy but incredibly calm, nothing more special than another game in the Premier League.”
Man City host West Ham on Sunday knowing a win will be enough to give them a record fourth consecutive Premier League title.
Guardiola continued: “We need to win one game to be champions so everyone would love to be in our position. But it won’t be easy. I have the feeling it will be an Aston Villa game.
“We would love to be 3-0 up in the opening minutes but it isn’t going to happen. We saw enough West Ham games in the last few days and a few months ago in the last game, they have a few things we have to control. But two days to prepare the last game and we are ready.”