How Pep Guardiola’s potential Manchester City departure in 2025 is impacting coaches now

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s future might also determine the future of other managers in the game. The Spanish coach has a contract with the English giants valid until the summer 2025 and there are still no signs about a possible extension, and Guardiola recently spoke about the matter and said that he’s “closer to leaving than staying” next year. But how could this impact some managers this early? That City job will be a coveted one, with many up and coming managers likely hoping to get a sniff. Here’s what to keep an eye on:

Roberto De Zerbi 

Let’s start with De Zerbi, who is likely to not coach during the 2024-25 season if nothing surprising happens over the next weeks. The former Brighton coach parted ways with the English side and he’s now looking for a new job. While clubs that seemed interested in him like Bayern Munich and Liverpool opted for other managers, Chelsea followed and decided to appoint Enzo Maresca despite the links with De Zerbi. This is why he should wait and see what will happen during the season, or potentially wait for the Man City job. Guardiola always had kind words of De Zerbi and said once, “I think I admire him for the fact it doesn’t matter the team he plays, he proved you don’t have to be in a top club or with top exceptional players to make your team play how you like to play.” A ringing endorsement. 

Michel 

The current Girona manager is someone to watch out for as well. After qualifying for a Champions League spot next season, Michel decided to stay at the club for a further season despite the multiple interests coming from many European clubs. On top of that, Girona is a club really close to Manchester City as they are part of the City Football Group and they are already working with Michel. Going to coach the Premier League giants would be an incredible story for Michel, who brought Girona from the second division to play Champions League soccer for the first time in their history in less than three years. He’s a rising star in the coaching ranks. 

Xabi Alonso 

One of the big names. The current Bayer Leverkusen manager decided to stay at the club after winning a historical Bundesliga title and DFB Pokal trophy and only lost the UEFA Europa League final against Atalanta. Despite the link with clubs such as Liverpool and Bayern Munich, Alonso stayed at the club that made him one of the most attractive coaches around Europe. While the links with Liverpool, Bayern and Real Madrid seem natural due to his past as a soccer player for them, Manchester City would be an option due to his relationship with Pep Guardiola, who coached him at Bayern from 2014-2016. 

Mikel Arteta

The Arsenal manager is another name to consider. Arteta always turned down the chances and rumors to leave the Gunners over the past years, but he already worked at City from 2016 -2019 where he was the assistant manager to Guardiola. Then, in 2019, he left the job to become the new Arsenal manager but he can become an option for the Citizens as he already knows the environment and has the experience necessary to get the job. It’s difficult to imagine him leaving Arsenal right now, but if there is something we know, it is that in football we never say never. 

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