Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has revealed that he would be willing to advise the club on his successor when the time comes for him to depart. This comes amidst rampant speculation about his future as he enters the final year of his contract with the club.
Guardiola, who has led Manchester City to six Premier League titles and a Champions League win during his tenure, is yet undecided about whether or not he will extend his stay into a 10th season at Etihad Stadium. The Catalan-born manager insists that no decision has been made yet regarding this matter.
However, should he decide to leave when his contract expires, Guardiola expressed willingness to offer advice on who should take over from him. He clarified though that while he would provide input if asked, he does not expect to play an active role in selecting the new manager.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, said:
“Of course, with the relationship I have, if they ask me I will give my opinion but it is not my job. The decision will be taken by them, not by me. It belongs to the club.
“I would give my opinion as a friend, having shared unbelievable moments together, but it has to be the club. I would say the new sporting director, the moment I’m not here any more, has to choose.”
Speculation intensifies amidst key departures
The speculation surrounding Guardiola's future at Manchester City intensified following last week’s announcement of Txiki Begiristain's retirement next summer. Begiristain is a long-time friend and colleague of Pep Guardiola from their time together at Barcelona and currently serves as director of football for Man City.
Begiristain along with Ferran Soriano - another former Barcelona director and current chief executive officer at Man City - were instrumental in laying down groundwork for Guardiola’s success at the club. They provided unwavering support during what was a challenging first season for him.
Pep Guardiola added:
“I was so grateful but I wasn’t surprised. The reasons I came here were; one for the potential for the future, but especially because a few friends like Ferran and Txiki were here. At the time I didn’t know my chairman and my owner, the players or the backroom staff, but I knew them and for me to have the hierarchy to support me was not a surprise.
“I worked with them, especially with Txiki in Barcelona and I knew always we would try to find a solution, not to blame what is going on. That’s why you appreciate in the bad moments that all managers have, how close the people above are to you. This is what happened.”
Upcoming challenges for Manchester City
As these developments unfold off-field, Manchester City faces challenges on-field too. The team returns into action with Wolves match this Sunday after an international break.
However key players like Kevin De Bruyne (playmaker) and Nathan Ake (defender) are unlikely to start the game, having not fully recovered from injuries suffered before the break. This could potentially add to the challenges for Guardiola and his team in their upcoming matches.
While uncertainty looms over Pep Guardiola's future at Manchester City, his commitment to the club remains evident. Whether he decides to stay or leave when his contract ends, it is clear that he wishes nothing but success for Manchester City. His potential involvement in choosing a successor only underscores this dedication and will surely be appreciated by sports fans and sports betting fans alike.
