Man City decide on ‘top target’ to replace Guardiola as insiders reveal ‘summer exit on cards’

Manchester City have reportedly named their ‘top target’ to replace head coach Pep Guardiola, who could leave the club next summer.

Guardiola It has been a historic period at the Etihad as he established himself as one of the greatest managers in Premier League history.

The respected Spanish boss has revolutionized English football during his time at the Etihad, winning and helping to lift the Premier League title four years in a row. Man City Lift the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Guardiola’s future at Man City was in doubt for the first few months of the campaign as he entered the final year of his contract at the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

It was initially suggested that an exit was likely, but he eventually decided to sign a two-year contract extension to commit himself to Man City until 2027.

Guardiola penned his latest deal as Man City suffered a severe slump in form last season, with the Premier League holders out of the title race before the new year.

Read: Premier League mode rankings drop a whopping 15 places as Liverpool!

He was tasked with overseeing the rebuilding at the Etihad, as Man City have invested heavily in the transfer market in the last two transfer windows to build a new team.

Guardiola is still in the early stages of the process, but he has emerged as Arsenal’s main challenger for the Premier League title this season. This is largely due to Holland’s talent Erling.

Despite extending his contract until 2027, a recent report Times claimed that ‘some sources believe he will consider leaving next summer’.

It notes that ‘no final decision has been made’, but explains why an exit could be a ‘logical’ move.

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The report further states:

‘A final decision has not been made – and Guardiola has always fulfilled his contracts – but those with knowledge of the situation admit that an exit at the helm at the end of his tenth season could be on the cards.

‘He believes it would be a logical time to leave because the squad is fixed, Guardiola has won everything to win and ten years is a heck of a shift, especially for a man whose longest spell with one team was four years with Barcelona’s first team before arriving in the UK.’

Now, a report from our friend journalist Fraser Fletcher Team Talk Claims Bournemouth boss Antony Areola has been named Man City’s ‘top target’ to replace Guardiola.

The report states:

Sources close to the club insist that Areola is “top of the shortlist”, seen as the perfect stylistic successor to Guardiola – progressive, complex and unafraid of bold gambles. They are understood to be fully aware of this, fueling speculation that a move to the city could be in the offing as soon as next summer.

‘Not far behind Areola on Man City’s managerial shortlist is Vincent Kompany, the Belgian icon whose post-playing career has been a masterclass in rapid ascent.’