Nigeria: Pep Guardiola to leave Man City after a decade, reports say

Pep Guardiola is set to end his trophy-laden 10-year spell as Manchester City manager this weekend, according to reports from The Daily Mail and The Athletic

The 55-year-old is expected to step down after City’s final home game against Aston Villa at the Etihad. The club has not commented on the speculation but has arranged a parade through Manchester on Monday to celebrate League Cup and FA Cup wins this season, which could serve as a farewell.

Guardiola arrived in 2016 and transformed City into English football’s dominant force. He has won six Premier League titles and delivered the club’s first Champions League, part of a haul of 20 trophies in England. He could add one more if City beat Bournemouth and Aston Villa and Arsenal fail to beat Crystal Palace on the final day.

Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who worked under Guardiola at City, is reportedly lined up to take over next season.

Guardiola still has a year left on his contract, but rumors of his departure have circulated for months. After a trophyless 2024/25 campaign, City bounced back this season. A 1-0 FA Cup final win over Chelsea completed a domestic cup double, and they remain in contention for a seventh league title in nine years.

Before City, Guardiola won two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles with Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, and three Bundesliga titles in three seasons at Bayern Munich. His arrival in England was expected to be brief, but his influence has reshaped the Premier League.

Backed by Abu Dhabi ownership, City moved out of Manchester United’s shadow to become the benchmark in England. Guardiola’s possession-based style has been copied from grassroots to elite level. Even rivals have turned to his former staff to keep up: Mikel Arteta is on the verge of delivering Arsenal’s first title in 22 years, while Liverpool’s Arne Slot and Chelsea’s Xabi Alonso have both cited Guardiola’s Barcelona side as a key influence.

His exit comes as City await the outcome of an independent commission hearing into more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. Charges were brought in February 2023, and the hearing concluded in December 2024. The case has hung over the club’s achievements since.

If confirmed, Guardiola leaves as the most successful manager in City’s history and one of the most influential coaches in modern football