Manchester City are preparing for a Pep Guardiola exit after Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa, BBC Sport reported, though the club has not confirmed his departure.
BBC Sport said the 55-year-old Catalan manager would leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season. City maintains Guardiola has a contract for next season and remains hopeful he will stay.
Sky Sports also reported uncertainty over Guardiola’s future, saying club sources had not confirmed whether he would leave or whether Enzo Maresca would replace him.
Guardiola told BBC Sport he still had a deal with Manchester City. “I am here, I have a contract,” he said when asked about his future.
BBC Sport reported that former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who previously worked under Guardiola at City, has emerged as the front-runner to replace him. Maresca is currently out of work after leaving Chelsea.
Guardiola joined Manchester City in 2016 after managing Bayern Munich and Barcelona. BBC Sport said he has won 17 major trophies and 20 trophies in all during 10 years at the club.
His City honours include six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League, three FA Cups, five EFL Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup, according to BBC Sport.
Manchester City announced in November 2024 that Guardiola had signed a two-year contract extension, taking his deal beyond the 2025-26 season. The club said at the time that the agreement meant he would spend more than a decade as City manager.
