If you’re a Man City fan, the latest chatter about Pep’s future sounds like a bank notification: “Something’s wrong with your card.” On paper, Guardiola’s contract runs until the summer of 2027 — so, exhale. But lately the Spaniard has been talking about the future in that foggy way that makes it feel like someone’s gently nudging him: “Pep, fancy a little rest?” And the leaks aren’t helping either: they say this season could realistically be his last one in Manchester. While we’re trying to figure out whether this is a real crossroads or just classic winter “news chewing gum,” the bookies have already drawn up the waiting list.
Fog Over “Etihad”: There’s a Contract, but No Clarity
Guardiola isn’t just a coach — he’s basically an operating system. And when that system starts freezing on phrases like “we’ll see” and “I don’t know,” fans instantly switch to panic mode. Even if an exit is only a theory, a club of this size starts calculating the successor in advance. Because “we’ll think about it in July” is like showing up without a defensive midfielder: looks brave, doesn’t last long.
The Bookies' Four: Everyone’s on 16%, but the Vibes Are Different
Enzo Maresca — “One of Us”, but With a “Chelsea” Suitcase (16%)
Maresca makes sense: he knows the “City” kitchen from the inside — he worked within the structure, lived around Guardiola’s methods, ideas, and that obsession with controlling the ball like it’s a family heirloom. Add the fact that some very reliable people keep naming him as a genuine candidate. There’s just one question: is “Chelsea” the kind of club that lets people leave calmly? Or do they still prefer drama and compensation fees with extra zeros?
Maresca, for his part, shuts the rumors down hard: it’s all speculation, his contract runs to 2029, and he “doesn’t have time for this.” Yep, genre classic: when a coach says “I don’t have time,” it usually means “I do, I’m just not giving it to you.”
Vincent Kompany — “The Legend Returns”, but First Deal With the Present (16%)
With Kompany, it’s simple: the Manchester past makes it romantic, and Guardiola once said Vincent would coach “City” one day. The documentary script writes itself: the captain comes home, the stands get emotional, the club drops five videos in full “heritage” mode.
But there’s a catch: right now Kompany isn’t in “nostalgia” mode — he’s in “work here and now” mode. Which is totally fair. Still, let’s be honest: if “City” knocks, even the most focused coach will pause for a second. Because “manage the club that adores you” isn’t an offer — it’s temptation with a welcome banner.
Míchel Sánchez — Inside City Football Group, So Basically Family (16%)
Míchel’s candidacy is quiet, but dangerous — like that midfielder you don’t notice until he serves up three assists. He’s at “Girona,” and “Girona” is part of City Football Group. Meaning he’s already inside the ecosystem: he understands the principles, the vertical structure, the philosophy where a pass matters more than panic.
And he’s got receipts, not just vibes: that season when “Girona” crashed the La Liga party and grabbed bronze wasn’t a random spark — it was a sign of real coaching structure. For “City,” this is the pragmatic option: less adaptation, less culture shock, more “same football, just a different voice.”
Andoni Iraola — If Pressing Is a Lifestyle, This Is the Guy (16%)
Iraola isn’t new to the Premier League anymore, and at “Bournemouth” he’s done the hardest thing: he made the team look like it has an idea, not like a supporting actor in the league. He’s constantly being linked with bigger jobs — “Real” today, “Liverpool” tomorrow — and that usually means one thing: he’s genuinely good, not just photogenic with a tablet on the touchline.
There’s also a neat “bonus”: his contract runs until the summer of 2026. So in theory, “City” could get him without a cosmic compensation fee. In a world where coaches sometimes cost like elite strikers, that sounds like a Black Friday deal.
Not Just the Top 4: Other Names Floating Around in Lists and Daydreams
Just behind the main favorites come the “why not?” candidates — but each has a snag.
Oliver Glasner, for example, has already grabbed trophies with “Crystal Palace” — and England loves a coach with silverware, simple. Luis Enrique is more of a “too good to be true” option: if things are flying at “PSG,” why swap comfort for a brand-new project with massive expectations?
Unai Emery is on the list too, but then reality taps you on the shoulder: “Aston Villa,” contract until 2029. Details like that turn negotiations into a multi-season drama, not a two-episode mini-series.
And then we enter football fantasy territory (though sometimes that’s exactly where the surprise comes from): Zinedine Zidane (what if?), Pep Lijnders (the assistant-to-head-coach jump is its own game), Julian Nagelsmann, Mikel Arteta, Roberto De Zerbi, Jürgen Klopp, Xabi Alonso, Xavi… The list is so stacked you could build a bracket and do the draw live.
The Real Point: “City” Isn’t Choosing a Coach, It’s Choosing the Next Cycle
The big question isn’t the names — it’s this: if Pep really goes, does the club look for a “second Guardiola” in terms of ideology, or does it risk a stylistic reset? For now, the shortlist sends one clear message: “City” wants continuity — control, structure, smart football — not a revolution with sabers out. And honestly, you get it: if the car is running, you don’t swap the engine on the motorway. You find someone who can hold the wheel and not mix up the pedals.
