Manchester City appear to be approaching a decisive turning point. After a decade that has transformed the club’s identity, Pep Guardiola is now strongly expected to leave at the end of the season, according to people familiar with the situation. He has avoided giving a direct answer whenever his future comes up, but the mood inside the club has shifted: players and staff increasingly believe the decision has already been settled.
Although his current contract runs until 2027, Guardiola is understood to have a break clause that allows him to walk away this summer. That detail has become the centre of speculation, especially after reports from ESPN suggested he is likely to use it. City have refused to make any public statement, which is hardly surprising given that the Premier League title is still on the line and there is one match left to play.
If he does depart, the club already seems to have a successor in mind. Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, once part of Guardiola’s coaching set-up at City, has emerged as the leading candidate to take over. The situation is still being managed quietly, but the pieces are beginning to point in one direction.
Why the Story Has Gathered So Much Pace
The latest responses from within the club have done little to calm the noise. When asked earlier in the week, sources close to City reportedly said that “nothing has changed”, a phrase that has been read more as a cautious holding line than a real denial. Inside the dressing room, the sense is that the summer departure is now more likely than not.
City’s restraint is deliberate. With the title race still alive, the club wants no unnecessary distraction. Any formal announcement is expected only after the season is over, and possibly after the planned celebrations that will follow the final league match. For now, the club is choosing silence over confirmation.
The Contract Detail That Changes Everything
Guardiola’s situation makes sense only when the contract structure is understood. The long-term deal he signed at the Etihad gave him security, but it also preserved flexibility. The break clause means he can leave at the end of this campaign without waiting until 2027.
- Current contract end date: 2027
- Summer exit point: End of the 2025-26 season
- Likely length of stay if he leaves: 10 years
- Age: 55
That arrangement was always designed to give Guardiola room to decide his own timing. He has spoken before about the demands of top-level management, and many around him have long believed that a decade in Manchester could be the natural moment to stop. In other words, the contract was never meant to trap him. It was meant to give him choice.
Maresca’s Name Moves to the Front
If City do move on from Guardiola, Maresca is the figure most often linked with the job. He left Chelsea in January after a difficult spell, but his earlier time at Manchester City gives him a built-in familiarity that matters to the club’s hierarchy. He understands the training ground, the standards, and the tactical language that Guardiola introduced.
There are clear reasons he appeals:
- He already knows the club’s environment and many of its people
- His football ideas align closely with City’s possession-based identity
- He is available after leaving Chelsea
- He has reportedly already been contacted, which suggests planning is under way
Other names may appear as the summer approaches, but Maresca is currently the most concrete option. The key point is not that City have publicly chosen him, but that he is the only candidate being repeatedly mentioned by people with knowledge of the situation.
One Last Title Race Before the Curtain Falls
Guardiola’s possible exit is unfolding alongside a tense final stretch in the league. Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday increased the pressure, leaving City needing a result away to Bournemouth to keep the championship battle alive until the final day. With Aston Villa waiting in the last fixture, there is still room for one more dramatic twist.
The equation is simple:
- If City win at Bournemouth: The title race continues to the final day against Aston Villa
- If City fail to win: Arsenal are crowned champions
That is another reason the club is unwilling to confirm anything right now. A departure announcement during title week would dominate every headline and risk drowning out the sporting contest still in progress. City want the football to finish first, then the future can be addressed.
A Legacy That Already Looks Complete
Whatever happens next, Guardiola’s work at City has already reached historic proportions. His 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final gave him a remarkable 20th trophy as City manager. That total stands as a measure of how thoroughly he has reshaped the club over the last 10 years.
The club’s planned celebrations make that legacy even clearer. A parade is scheduled for the day after the final league match against Aston Villa, with both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup on display. The latter was secured against Arsenal in March, adding another layer to a season that could yet finish with more silverware. City are also set to rename a stand at the Etihad Stadium in Guardiola’s honour, a gesture that usually signals the end of an era rather than its continuation.
That recognition suggests the club is preparing emotionally for life after Guardiola, even if the formal announcement is still being held back.
What Comes After the Final Whistle
The likely sequence is becoming clearer by the day. Guardiola finishes the campaign, City complete their celebrations, and only then does the long-anticipated departure become official. If the title is secured, his exit would come with the highest possible finish. If it is not, the record still remains extraordinary.
After that, the focus would turn to succession. A full approach for Maresca would then be expected, along with the practical details that come with appointing a new manager: compensation, contract length, staffing, and the shape of the next project. For the moment, however, City are keeping the issue contained.
The silence is not proof that nothing is happening. It is more likely the opposite. The signs point to a conclusion that many inside the club already accept, even if they are not ready to say it out loud.
For Guardiola, there is still one match left to manage, one title race still alive, and one final chance to leave Manchester City with the kind of ending that matches the scale of his reign.