The Premier League could see the departure of one of its greatest icons, Pep Guardiola. The Catalan coach announced this possibility two days ago. This Tuesday, the Spanish press dropped a bombshell about his future.
With his contract expiring in a year, Guardiola has cast doubt on his future at the helm of Manchester City. The reason being that he is considering coaching a national team. Pep Guardiola’s statement has surprised many.
Pep Guardiola opens the door to a departur
After securing a fourth consecutive Premier League title with Manchester City, the Cityzens’ manager has seriously questioned his future at the Etihad Stadium. “The reality is that I am closer to leaving than staying. We have spoken with the club, and I have the feeling that now, I want to stay.
I will stay next season, and during the season, we will talk,” he said. “When I arrived here, if you had told me that I would win the championship six times in seven seasons, I would have said, ‘you’re crazy, it’s impossible.’ For now, my feeling is that I want to stay next season. We have spoken with the club, we have time to discuss next season because I also have to see the players, if they follow me. I will stay, and we will talk during the season, calmly,” analyzed the Manchester City manager.
It would be a huge surprise that nobody saw coming and would represent another blow to the Premier League, following the already confirmed departure of Jürgen Klopp from Liverpool. Under contract with Manchester City until 2025, has Guardiola announced that the 2024-2025 season would be his last in northwest England?
An adventure in national team coaching for Pep Guardiola?
At the beginning of the season, the Spanish technician had already begun to mention the name of his potential successor. Guardiola had clearly expressed his preference for Roberto De Zerbi, who recently left Brighton. “He is the next coach of Manchester City,” he affirmed. On the other hand, the Spanish radio station Cadena COPE may know a little more about Catalan’s future.
Journalist David Sanchez declared: “When his contract with Manchester City is over, he will go on to coach a national team.” And that national team could be the Three Lions. With Gareth Southgate likely leaving after Euro 2024 (to go to Manchester United?), England could need to find a new coach.
But if Gareth Southgate leaves this summer, the timing wouldn’t coincide with Guardiola’s intentions. However, the Spaniard seems to have found a comfortable place in England, especially with the media. Will the English federation be ready to wait a year before installing Guardiola? Given that the qualifications for the 2026 World Cup won’t begin until March 2025, such a scenario seems possible.
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