**A list of five potential successors to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City have been detailed in a new report concerning the Catalan’s future at the club.**
With Guardiola under contract until the summer of 2027, City continue to insist there is no immediate managerial vacancy, however – as previously reported – internal contingency planning has accelerated and fronted by sporting director Hugo Viana.
Manchester City’s leadership will be determined to avoid uncertainty should Guardiola decide to step aside in the near future, particularly given the scale of influence he holds across recruitment, tactical identity, and long-term squad development.
That reality has led to ongoing background discussions rather than reactive decision-making, and recent reporting has already highlighted admiration for the likes of Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany and former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
And according to the information of [MailSport’s Jack Gaughan](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15431429/Pep-Guardiola-press-conference-Man-City-Enzo-Maresca.html), forward planning has happened before at the Etihad, with one unnamed foreign coach going sufficiently down the line with former director of football Txiki Begiristain to deliberate his backroom staff.
However, Pep Guardiola eventually signed a new contract at Manchester City to mark the end of such succession plans. It is further stressed that no such meeting and informal conversation took place behind the Catalan’s back.
Looking at a list of possible successors, it is pointed out that Guardiola’s relationship with Enzo Maresca is ‘obviously strong’, while the 54-year-old ‘privately champions’ Roberto De Zerbi.
Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is said to have admirers at Manchester City, as well as Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique, while those at the Etihad Stadium ‘cannot be ignoring’ the work of Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.
The breadth of names under consideration reflects City’s desire to maintain continuity of footballing philosophy rather than pursue a dramatic stylistic reset. Each of the mentioned candidates aligns, to varying degrees, with Guardiola’s own vision.
As outlined in earlier reports, Guardiola is expected to be involved in any future succession decision, reinforcing the collaborative nature of City’s long-term planning. The club’s hierarchy remain keen to ensure that any transition avoids the pitfalls experienced by rivals.
Looking ahead, no immediate movement is anticipated, with Pep Guardiola currently seen as deeply engaged and content in his role. City are expected to allow circumstances to develop organically, with any final call on the Catalan’s future likely to come late in a season.