Xabi Alonso is reportedly a coaching option Manchester City could consider, despite his strong links with Liverpool.

Manchester City are slowly preparing for a future many fans do not even want to imagine yet. A future without Pep Guardiola standing on the touchline at the Etihad Stadium. A future without the man who changed the club forever, the man who turned City into a football machine feared across Europe. Even though Guardiola is still in charge, still fighting, and still under contract, there is now a growing feeling inside football circles that the end of his time at City may be closer than many expected. Because of that fear, City have started planning ahead, quietly and carefully, and one name that has now appeared on their shortlist is Xabi Alonso.

According to reports, Manchester City have added the former Real Madrid midfielder and coach to a three-man list of possible successors if Guardiola decides to walk away at the end of the season. This is not panic planning, but it is serious planning. City know how football works. They know no era lasts forever. They also know Guardiola has always been honest about needing rest when he feels empty, both mentally and physically. Even though his contract runs until 2027, football contracts do not always tell the full story. What matters more is how a manager feels inside, and right now, Guardiola’s words, actions, and recent struggles have made many people believe a big decision is coming.

City’s form this season has not helped calm nerves. They are still fighting, still in the title race, but things have not been smooth. They are six points behind Arsenal and have won just one of their last five league games. For a Guardiola team, this feels uncomfortable. At the weekend, they threw away a two-goal lead and drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur, a result that felt like a punch to the stomach for players, staff, and fans. These are the moments that make clubs think ahead, not because they want change, but because football forces you to prepare for it.

The feeling inside the club, according to reports, is that Guardiola may decide this season is his last. Not because he has failed, but because he may feel his energy fading. Guardiola has always said he does not want to stay too long and become a problem. He wants to leave while people still respect his work, not when they are tired of him. That is why City are already building a succession plan, just in case the decision comes sooner than expected.

Xabi Alonso’s name being included on the shortlist has caught attention across Europe. Alonso is still young as a coach, but his rise has been fast and impressive. He understands elite football from the inside because he lived it as a player. He played under some of the greatest managers in history. He learned from Guardiola at Bayern Munich, from José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, and from Rafael Benítez at Liverpool. He has seen every style of football, every type of dressing room, and every level of pressure. That experience is now shaping his coaching career.

City believe Alonso fits the modern profile they want. He is calm, intelligent, tactically flexible, and respected by players. He also understands possession football deeply, which makes him a natural candidate to follow Guardiola’s philosophy without copying it blindly. City do not want a Guardiola clone. They want someone who understands the idea but can evolve it in their own way. Alonso is seen as someone who can do that.

He is not alone on the shortlist. Former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is also being considered. Maresca knows City well from his time working under Guardiola. He understands the club’s structure, its expectations, and its style. However, his time at Chelsea ended in controversy after he reportedly informed the club twice that he was in talks with City, which eventually led to his exit from Stamford Bridge. That situation raised questions about timing, loyalty, and pressure handling, but it also showed how highly City rate him.

The third name on the list is Cesc Fabregas. Many fans still think of Fabregas only as a former player, but his coaching work has started to change opinions. His time at Como in Serie A has impressed many people inside football. Como are currently sixth in the Italian top flight and are pushing for European qualification, something few expected at the start of the season. Fabregas has shown strong leadership, clear ideas, and an ability to improve players. Like Alonso, he understands elite football deeply and has worked under Guardiola before.

Despite all this planning, Guardiola himself has said very little publicly about his future. He has kept his thoughts private, choosing his words carefully, as he always does. When he signed his contract extension, he spoke with emotion and honesty, making it clear how much Manchester City means to him.

He said he felt he deserved to stay. Not out of arrogance, but out of loyalty and belief in his work. He explained that after a difficult run of defeats, he felt it was not right to walk away. He said he did not want to leave the club during a tough moment. He wanted to fight, to fix problems, and to take responsibility. Those words showed how deeply connected he feels to City.

Guardiola admitted that earlier in the season, he had thought this campaign might be his last. That admission shocked many people. But he explained that when the team started struggling, he felt he could not abandon them. He said Manchester City means too much to him. This is his ninth season at the club. He has lived through incredible highs and painful moments. He has built relationships that go beyond football. That emotional bond is the reason he decided to stay for two more seasons.

Still, Guardiola has also been honest about one thing. When his time at City ends, he plans to stop. Not move straight to another job. Not jump into another challenge. He wants a break. He wants time to focus on himself, his body, and his mental health. He did the same after leaving Barcelona in 2012. He stepped away, rested, and only returned when he felt ready. That pattern matters, because it suggests when he leaves City, it will be a full stop, not a pause.

In July, Guardiola spoke openly about this future plan. He said it was decided, more than decided. He said after City, he will stop. That statement alone is enough to make City nervous, because it confirms there will be an end, even if the timing is not clear yet. Guardiola also said he still has energy right now. He believes the team can be better than last season. He sees progress, small improvements in every game, and unfinished business that keeps him motivated.

That sense of unfinished business is important. It explains why he is still here. It explains why he fights so hard on the touchline, why he still pushes players, and why defeats hurt him so deeply. But football is brutal. Motivation can disappear quickly when results go against you, when injuries pile up, and when pressure grows from every direction.

City know this. That is why they are not waiting until the last moment. They are doing what elite clubs do. They are planning early. They are studying profiles. They are watching games. They are asking questions. They are making sure that if Guardiola wakes up one morning and decides he is done, the club will not panic.

What makes the situation even more intense is what comes next on the pitch. City are still alive in every competition. They face Newcastle in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, a match that could define the mood around the club. Then comes Liverpool, one of the biggest games of the season. These are not just matches. They are emotional tests. Wins bring belief and calm. Losses bring noise, doubt, and pressure.

If City end the season strongly, Guardiola may feel satisfied enough to stay. If they stumble and fall short, the temptation to walk away might grow. That is why the talk around Xabi Alonso feels serious. It is not gossip. It is preparation.

Alonso represents the future in many ways. A new generation of managers who combine modern tactics with deep football education. He is respected, calm, and thoughtful. He does not chase headlines. He does not talk too much. He lets his work speak. Those qualities appeal to Manchester City’s leadership.

At the same time, replacing Guardiola is one of the hardest jobs in football. Whoever follows him will be compared every single week. Every dropped point will bring questions. Every tactical change will be judged against Pep’s methods. That pressure has broken many managers at other clubs. City want someone strong enough to handle it.

Whether that man is Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, Cesc Fabregas, or someone else entirely remains to be seen. What is clear is that Manchester City are entering a sensitive period. An era is not ending yet, but the shadows of change are already visible.

For now, Guardiola remains in charge. He remains committed. He remains emotional, passionate, and deeply connected to the club. But football never waits. And while Pep fights on the pitch, City are quietly preparing for the day when he finally decides it is time to rest.

When that day comes, the decision they make next will shape the club for the next decade.