Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City in the summer
Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City in the summer
Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer, ending an illustrious tenure that has delivered unparalleled success at the Etihad.
The 55-year-old has a contract with the Blues until the summer of 2027 but has made the decision to depart a year early. Guardiola is now set to take a break from football having been in charge at City for a decade.
In that time he’s won six Premier League titles and one Champions League along with five League Cups and two FA Cups. City completed an historic treble in 2023, a year in which they went on to win the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
The Blues have become a powerhouse of world football under Guardiola’s tenure and the club must now replace one of the greatest managers the game has seen.
Guardiola spent four years in charge of Barcelona and three at Bayern Munich prior to taking the City job and no one, himself included, foresaw a 10-year stay in Manchester.
Follow all the reaction with us in the live blog.
Speaking before the announcement, Bernardo praised Guardiola and paid tribute to his approach to management. He said:
Way before I joined Man City, Pep for me was always an inspiration because when he was training Barcelona, that team with the small guys, with Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Lionel] Messi, Pedro. I was at the time in Benfica in my academy years where I didn't play because they thought that I wasn't big enough, that I wasn't strong enough. And me looking at that team and thinking, these guys, they're also not big, they're also not strong. If they can do it, maybe one day I can do it. So, Pep's team was always an inspiration for me. And then to join the club and to be able to be with him nine years and to be a part of this success, it's fantastic. Fifteen years ago, when I was in that situation, that bad situation where I didn't play at Benfica because the people there didn't believe in me because of my size and looking at his teams, and now being the player that has the most games on the team, it truly is special.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Bernardo Silva after the Carabao Cup Final match Arsenal and between Manchester City
Pep Guardiola and Bernardo Silva share a hug after the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal
You can share your messages of appreciation for Guardiola with fellow City fans on our special cheer map below:
Responding to the news of Guardiola's exit, Khaldoon Al Mubarak said:
Over the last ten years honesty and trust have formed the bedrock on which we have navigated every situation together with Pep – always understanding that we could find the right answer together. Today the right answer is for Pep to finish his journey as the manager of Manchester City. There have been points along the way when he could have stopped, and it would have been enough. Somehow, Pep always found new energy and pushed on, finding different and innovative ways to continue winning and delivering success. As a result, the Club has a decade of memories and success to be forever grateful for, and much more than that, an evolution that cannot be undone. The unique approach that he brings to his coaching has allowed him to constantly challenge the accepted truths of our game. It is the reason that in the last ten years he has not only made Manchester City better - he has also made football better.
Pep Guardiola and Khaldoon Al Mubarak celebrate the last time Manchester City won the Premier League
Pep Guardiola and Khaldoon Al Mubarak celebrate the last time Manchester City won the Premier League(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Guardiola signed off his letter to the fans in his signature style.
So as my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me. Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem this is the place. I’m sorry, Tony: This is my place. Noel… I was right. It has been so f****** fun. Love you all.
Noel Gallagher and Pep Guardiola
Noel Gallagher and Pep Guardiola(Image: Getty Images)
In his open letter to fans, Guardiola added:
Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too. Remember, the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness. A city united. Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too. Players don’t forget - every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.
Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola
Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola(Image: Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images)
The news broke that Guardiola will leave City at just after 11am. In a statement, Guardiola said:
When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘Okay… Noel is here? This will be fun. And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City. This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too. We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.
here won't be a dry eye in the house on Sunday if Manchester City's clash with Aston Villa proves to be Pep Guardiola's last in charge of the club. Guardiola can be an emotional man himself, but the outpouring of love for him will be on another level. City have said goodbye to some club legends during Guardiola's tenure, but there has never been outright panic afterwards. A lot of that owes to the presence of the head coach.
With Guardiola potentially gearing up for his final match at the helm, it's only natural some fans will be worried given the struggles other Premier League clubs have had when trying to replace legendary bosses.
(Image: 2026 Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth)
So Pep Guardiola is officially set to depart the Etihad after 10 years in charge.
It's been a tenure that has been longer and more sensational than anyone could have dreamed of when he arrived in 2016.
In that decade he’s won six Premier League titles and one Champions League along with five League Cups and three FA Cups. City completed an historic treble in 2023, a year in which they went on to win the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
We'll have all the reaction and analysis right here.
Hello and welcome to our live blog as Guardiola's exit is confirmed. The City head coach will depart the club after ten glorious years in Manchester. From City's Centurions to the Treble and Club World Cup success, Guardiola has enjoyed a tremendous tenure at the Etihad Stadium. His legacy will be as City's greatest ever manager with his 20 trophies in ten years a remarkable feat.
Throughout the day, we will keep you across the well wishes and tributes to Guardiola as he prepares to hand over the reins at the Etihad Stadium. We shall also take a look at what comes next for the Blues as they look to replace their legendary head coach.
Stay tuned for updates...