The possibility that Pep Guardiola could leave Manchester City at the end of this season has sent a quiet shock through English football, even if many people refuse to say it out loud. For almost a decade, Guardiola has been the face, the brain, and the heartbeat of Manchester City’s greatest era. His ideas reshaped the club, his football changed the league, and his success set standards that may not be matched for years. Now, with growing belief that this chapter may soon come to an end, City are preparing for a future without the man who made them what they are today.
According to reports, Manchester City are already working behind the scenes, drawing up a shortlist of three names they believe could carry the Guardiola legacy forward if he decides to walk away this summer. That shortlist includes Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, and Cesc Fabregas. Three former midfielders. Three men shaped by elite football intelligence. Three coaches with deep connections to Guardiola’s philosophy, but each with a different personality, background, and vision.
The fact that City are planning at all speaks volumes. Guardiola has never been an ordinary manager. He is not someone clubs casually replace. He is an era-defining figure, someone who leaves behind not just trophies but an entire way of thinking about football. The idea of him leaving Manchester after ten years feels heavy, emotional, and unsettling, even for those who believe everything must eventually end.
Guardiola arrived in Manchester as a bold gamble. English football was skeptical. Some questioned whether his style would survive the Premier League’s intensity. Others wondered if he could adapt outside Barcelona and Bayern Munich. What followed was dominance beyond imagination. League titles piled up. Records were broken. Domestic trebles became reality. Manchester City transformed from a rich club chasing success into a ruthless winning machine that expected it.
But Guardiola himself has always spoken about cycles. He has said many times that he does not believe in staying forever. He has talked about energy, hunger, and the need for renewal. Even when City were winning everything, he hinted that one day he would step aside to allow fresh ideas to grow.
There is growing belief that Guardiola may end his ten-year stay in Manchester at the end of the season. He has not confirmed anything, but his comments have become more reflective, more cautious. He speaks about the club choosing the best person to continue the journey. He talks about chapters ending. He avoids long-term promises. These are not the words of a man planning ten more years.
Manchester City understand what this moment means. They cannot afford chaos. They cannot afford panic. They cannot afford to choose the wrong successor. Guardiola did not just win matches; he built a culture. Whoever follows him must understand that culture deeply, respect it, and evolve it without destroying it.
That is why the shortlist makes so much sense.
Xabi Alonso is the name that excites many people the most. Calm, intelligent, and highly respected, Alonso has quickly built a reputation as one of the brightest young coaches in Europe. His work has shown balance, tactical flexibility, and emotional control. As a former world-class midfielder, he understands the rhythm of the game, the importance of structure, and the value of controlling space.
Alonso’s connection to Guardiola goes back years. He played under Pep at Bayern Munich and absorbed ideas directly from him. But he is not a copy. He has developed his own identity, one that blends Guardiola’s positional discipline with a more direct, adaptive style. City see in Alonso a man who could step into the dressing room with authority and earn instant respect.
Then there is Enzo Maresca, perhaps the most familiar name internally. Maresca has already worked at Manchester City, already understands the environment, and already speaks the language of the club. His coaching journey has been closely tied to Guardiola’s ideas. He believes in control, patience, and tactical clarity.
Maresca represents continuity. If City want the smoothest transition possible, he offers comfort and familiarity. Players would not need to relearn everything. The structure would remain intact. The philosophy would stay alive. But with that comes pressure. Following Guardiola from within means comparisons would be immediate and unforgiving.
Cesc Fabregas completes the trio, and his inclusion tells an important story. Fabregas may be earlier in his coaching journey, but his football brain has never been questioned. As a player, he was a conductor, a thinker, someone who understood the game several steps ahead. He played under Guardiola at Barcelona and was shaped by that environment.
Fabregas represents potential rather than experience. He represents belief in intelligence, leadership, and long-term growth. Choosing him would be bold. It would signal trust in ideas over resumes. City have never been afraid of bold decisions.
What connects these three men is not just their history with Guardiola, but their shared understanding of football as a system, not chaos. Manchester City do not want a revolution. They want evolution. They want someone who respects the foundations Guardiola laid while having the courage to add something new.
The fear for City fans is understandable. Replacing Guardiola feels impossible. He is not just a manager who wins. He is a manager who convinces players to see football differently. He improves individuals. He turns good players into great ones. He creates belief even when doubt creeps in.
But City also know they cannot stand still. Football moves quickly. If Guardiola feels his energy fading, staying too long could damage everything he built. Leaving at the right moment preserves his legacy and protects the club’s future.
Behind closed doors, City executives are likely balancing emotion with logic. They owe Guardiola loyalty, but they owe the club stability. Preparing for his exit does not mean pushing him out. It means respecting reality.
The idea of Guardiola leaving after ten years feels symbolic. A full decade. A complete cycle. It mirrors his time at Barcelona. It mirrors his philosophy about renewal. If this is the end, it would be on his terms.
For the players, the uncertainty creates mixed emotions. Some arrived because of Guardiola. Some stayed because of him. Others have grown under his guidance and cannot imagine City without his presence. But footballers adapt. They always do.
The Premier League, too, would feel the shift. Guardiola’s influence has shaped how teams press, pass, and build from the back. His absence would create space for new ideas, new battles, and new narratives.
Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, and Cesc Fabregas are not just names. They are symbols of what City want to remain. Intelligent. Brave. Thoughtful. Modern.
Whether Guardiola leaves this summer or stays a little longer, the fact that City are planning shows how seriously they take the future. There is no denial. No panic. Just preparation.
If Guardiola does walk away, he will leave behind more than trophies. He will leave a blueprint. A mindset. A standard that will challenge whoever follows him every single day.
And when that day comes, when the Etihad stands to applaud him one final time, the question will no longer be whether Manchester City can survive without Pep Guardiola. The question will be whether anyone can truly replace him.
