Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, and Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid, embrace prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Manchester City at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on December 10, 2025 in Madrid, Spain
Xabi Alonso has been earmarked as a potential successor for Pep Guardiola(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
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The Spaniard has been mentioned as a potential successor to Guardiola, should the Catalan choose to walk away from the Etihad Stadium at the end of his deal in 2027 or before. It was claimed recently there is an "extremely strong chance" of Guardiola departing this year, despite being under contract beyond that.
In such situation, City could feasibly turn to Alonso, given his links to the Etihad Stadium hotseat in the past. However, with Arne Slot also enduring a disastrous Premier League title defence at Liverpool, the Spaniard has also been linked with a move to Anfield.
If there is a situation where both Liverpool and City are battling for Alonso's signature, Petit believes Alonso would return to the club where he won the Champions League.
Speaking to Ignition Casino, Petit said: "If Xabi Alonso has the chance to come back to Liverpool, even if the door is open at Man City, I'm pretty sure he would join Liverpool.
"He has a connection to Liverpool. He's been a player over there and he won trophies over there. He failed at Real Madrid but that has been the case for many managers over there.
"I think if he has the chance to join the Premier League, Liverpool would be the perfect club for him. It’s like Mikel Arteta’s connection to Arsenal, it would mean he wouldn’t consider joining Manchester City even when Pep Guardiola leaves.”
Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid, embraces Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield on November 04, 2025 in Liverpool, England
Alonso has also been linked with a move to Liverpool(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)
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The Times have claimed it's the belief of rival Premier League bosses and executives that Guardiola is managing his final campaign in Manchester. This has been contradicted by the City boss on several occasions.
In January, when asked about his future, he said: "I have a contract. I said a thousand million times. It's 10 years here. I will leave one day, but I have a contract."
Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, head coach of Manchester City, during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Salford City on February 14, 2026 in Manchester, England
Guardiola has insisted he wants to see out his contract at City, which expires in 2027(Image: 2026 James Gill - Danehouse)
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He also gave a similar answer to another query about his time at City, replying: "I have one more year on my contract. The question of that is [the same as] one or two months ago, but I will tell you again that it is the same answer."
The Times have also claimed Alonso would be interested in a move to the Premier League, but is happy to wait until the summer to make his decision.