Pep Guardiola’s future at Manchester City may not be as clearcut as many might think, after what’s been a disastrous 2024/25.
Manchester City fans are largely still behind Pep Guardiola despite the struggles of this season.
The Spaniard signed a new contract with Manchester City at the end of last year to keep him at the Etihad until the summer of 2027, though whether or not he stays until then remains to be seen.
There has been talk this season of Manchester City potentially replacing Guardiola who’s certainly not been immune to criticism, with some among the fanbase thinking that the club needs a total reset of both the playing and coaching staff.
Though whoever eventually does replace Pep at the Etihad would have big shoes to fill. But one name has been loosely mentioned as a possible candidate, at least on social media, in Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.
Earlier in the month, Newcastle United won the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool 2-1 in the final, whilst the Magpies sit just a point and a place behind Man City in the Premier League table and with a game in hand.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
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Simon Jordan and Danny Murphy back Eddie Howe to replace Pep Guardiola at Man City
Speaking on talkSPORT about the lack of English managers, Simon Jordan and Danny Murphy both hailed Howe and his work at Newcastle United, outing him as the best English manager about right now. They even went as far as backing him for the Man City job should it become available anytime soon.
Murphy explained: “Eddie Howe could manage at Man City,” before Jordan weighed in with: “There’s an argument for Eddie Howe… It’s a different dynamic… When you go to the champions of England or a club that’s won the Premier League five years out of the last decade, the expectations levels are slightly different.
“I don’t know whether it’s a straight, like-for-like translation. It might be, because Eddie’s so good at what he does.”
A three-time promotion winner with Bournemouth, Howe has now added a Carabao Cup to his managerial CV, boasting an impressive 50.31% win rate as Newcastle United boss, after 163 games in charge of the club.
Manchester City could be the dream job for Eddie Howe
Howe has never been shy of heaping praise on Manchester City: on Pep and on certain players too, with Howe a big fan of Rodri at Man City.
The 47-year-old former Bournemouth midfielder has hailed Pep as an ‘innovator’ of management too, so potentially replacing him at the Etihad could be something of a dream job for Howe.
And to be discussed as a possible replacement for Pep, albeit only by pundits, is a huge credit to Howe and how he’s steadily become not just the best English manager, but one of the best in the Premier League too.
For now though, Pep looks settled at City. He looks determined to get Man City back to the top with what is seemingly set to be a very busy summer transfer window at the club.