Manchester City are preparing for life after Pep Guardiola amid talk of him leaving with three men on their radar to replace the Catalan - Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca among them
Pep Guardiola is increasingly being linked with a Man City exit
Pep Guardiola is increasingly being linked with a Man City exit(Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)
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Manchester City have a three-man shortlist as they plan for life after Pep Guardiola as speculation mounts that this will be his final season in charge at the Etihad.
The Catalan has a deal until the end of next season, but the team continue to falter after a year which has seen Guardiola try to freshen up an ageing outfit. Currently they sit six points behind leaders Arsenal and the club's hierarchy are looking at who can replace their current boss.
The fact Enzo Maresca claimed he held conversations with the City bosses underlines the fact they are looking towards their next move. He worked at City as Guardiola’s assistant, but last month was sacked by the Blues. He is expected to be among the contenders in Manchester, reports the Telegraph.
Xabi Alonso is also among those they are considering as Guardiola's replacement - the Spaniard played under the City boss when he was a player at Bayern. He has marked himself out as one of the next generation of managers, winning the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen.
That helped him land the Real Madrid job, albeit he only lasted half a season amid rumours of internal issues. That has not impacted on his reputation though and he remains a man in demand. Liverpool would likely move for Alonso if they did change their manager.
City may also consider another of Guardiola's former players, Cesc Fabregas, with the ex-Chelsea player and his work at Como gathering admirers. They are currently sixth in Italy’s Serie A and he is only expected to leave the Italian club for one of the biggest jobs in the Premier League or Europe.
Vincent Kompany has claimed the Bundesliga title with Bayern and is posting an even more impressive campaign this term. He has a storied history with the Manchester outfit, but it would be a surprise if he were to leave the Allianz Arena.
Xabi Alonso remains a man with an impressive reputation
Xabi Alonso remains a man with an impressive reputation(Image: Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
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Guardiola has rewritten a the history books since he arrived in 2016 from Bayern Munich. He has won six Premier League titles - becoming the first man ever to win four on the bounce. His first title also saw City become the first team ever to amass 100 points in a season.
Alongside those triumphs Guardiola has claimed numerous domestic cups, including the domestic treble back in the 2018/19 season, a feat never before achievement. The Catalan has matched Sir Alex Ferguson as the only other man to win the treble in 2023, winning the Champions League.
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