Manchester City are now preparing an irresistible proposal to appoint an “exceptional” Pep Guardiola replacement at the end of the season.
Man City eyeing new manager amid Pep uncertainty
David Ornstein has now suggested there is a realistic chance Guardiola’s reign at the Etihad Stadium comes to an end in the summer, saying: “I think there’s an extremely strong chance of Pep Guardiola leaving at the end of the season. He signed a two-year deal, but even inside City, high up, there was an expectation that was going to be one year, right until the moment pretty much it was announced.
“And there’s a feeling in the industry that the two years was to buy time. Of course, he could see out that period, but it was also possibly a clever and sensitive decision that was designed to maybe try and keep some of the pressure and scrutiny off of him in this season.”
It will, of course, be extremely difficult for whoever replaces Pep in the dugout to eclipse what he’s achieved, with the Spaniard lifting a staggering 18 trophies since being appointed in 2016.
|
Pep Guardiols’s trophy record |
Number won at Man City |
|
Premier League |
6 |
|
Champions League |
1 |
|
Club World Cup |
1 |
|
Super Cup |
1 |
|
FA Cup |
2 |
|
EFL Cup |
4 |
|
Community Shield |
3 |
However, amid the uncertainty surrounding the 55-year-old’s future, Man City have now set their sights on a replacement, with a report from Spain revealing Xabi Alonso has emerged as one of their top targets.
City are preparing an irresistible proposal to convince Alonso to move to the Etihad Stadium, but there could be competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool, who are searching for an Arne Slot replacement.
The Spaniard is not the only option on the City shortlist, however, with Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany and former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca also named as potential targets.
“Exceptional” Alonso could be exciting Guardiola heir
Of course, plenty of City fans will be hoping Pep opts to see out his current contract at the very least, but if he does decide to move on this summer, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss could be an exciting replacement.
Jurgen Klopp was certainly left very impressed by the job the 44-year-old did at the German club, during which time he won the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal, saying: “The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did, it is absolutely exceptional.”
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In fact, the legendary midfielder won the 2023-24 title without losing a single game, and there are signs he could be a like-for-like replacement for Pep, with former Alaves assistant coach Christian Moya saying: “For me, there are many similarities between Alonso and Guardiola in their coaching styles.”
As such, Alonso could be the ideal Guardiola heir, despite struggling at Real Madrid, being sacked after less than eight months at the helm.
