55-year-old’s final match in charge will come on Sunday against Aston Villa at the Etihad
Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca set to replace him.
City have not officially confirmed the reports but multiple sources around the club have revealed to The Athletic that the Spaniard will depart this summer, one year before the end of his contract and at the end of a season in which City have won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.
It means Guardiola will have spent exactly ten years at City. His final match in charge will come on Sunday against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
Former Chelsea coach and Guardiola’s previous assistant at City, Enzo Maresca, is expected to succeed the 55-year-old according to the same sources. Maresca has been without a club since departing Chelsea in January and is seen as a natural candidate given his previous role within City’s coaching setup.
Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup final victory over Chelsea was Guardiola’s 17th major trophy at City and his 20th overall. These include six Premier League titles, a Champions League crown, the Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and three Community Shields.
City are still chasing Arsenal in the Premier League title race, although their chances are slim now. They travel to Bournemouth on Tuesday before concluding their Premier League campaign at home to Aston Villa. The reigning champions must win both matches if they are to stand any chance.
Meanwhile, following their victory over Burnley, Arsenal can secure the league crown if they defeat Crystal Palace on Sunday.
There has been speculation over his future in recent years but in November 2024 Guardiola signed a contract extension to 2027. At the time, he said the team’s difficult run of form convinced him to remain in charge longer than originally planned.
“I didn’t want to let the club down,” Guardiola said after signing the extension. “I felt I could not leave now.”
Even recently, Guardiola has dismissed suggestions that his time at City is nearing an end, repeatedly mentioning that he still has a contract at the club. Ahead of the FA Cup final against Chelsea on Saturday, Guardiola responded to questions about his departure by saying: “No way, I have one year left on my contract.”
