As the 2024/2025 season unfolds, one of the biggest questions surrounding Manchester City is whether Pep Guardiola will stay or leave at the end of his contract. Speculation is rife that Guardiola may extend his stay by another year, potentially remaining with City until 2026, but nothing is set in stone just yet.
In January, Guardiola hinted that he might follow in Jurgen Klopp’s footsteps by extending his contract, but as of now, the decision is still up in the air. Meanwhile, the club is already thinking about the future. According to recent reports, City are lining up potential replacements, with Ruben Amorim, the highly-rated Sporting CP manager, emerging as a top candidate.
Amorim, however, isn’t the only name in the mix. The Athletic reports that Xabi Alonso, the Bayer Leverkusen boss, is also on City’s radar as a possible successor to Guardiola. Amorim, endorsed by Guardiola himself in 2022 as one of the world’s best managers after their teams faced off in the Champions League, would be keen to take the helm at the Etihad should Guardiola depart. On the other hand, Alonso is also a serious contender, though his path to City might be complicated by interest from other top clubs.
In fact, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro recently suggested that Alonso is destined to manage Real Madrid one day. Speaking to Cadena SER, Carro confidently stated, “I have no doubt that Xabi Alonso will coach Real Madrid at some point… It’s also possible that he coaches Liverpool or Bayern.” With such a glowing endorsement, City could face stiff competition for Alonso’s services, with European giants like Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich all potential destinations.
Still, despite City’s interest in both Amorim and Alonso, their ideal scenario remains clear: they want Pep Guardiola to stay. Reports suggest the club is prepared to offer Guardiola a rolling contract to keep the legendary manager in charge for as long as possible.
For now, it’s a waiting game. If Guardiola commits to staying, the talk of replacements will be moot. But if he decides to move on, City will have to act quickly, knowing they’ll be competing with the biggest clubs in Europe to secure their next manager.
