Pep Guardiola is under contract with Manchester City until the end of the 2026/27 season, but speculation over him stepping down at the end of the current campaign continues
Pep Guardiola, head coach of Manchester City,
Pep Guardiola could step down at the end of the season(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Manchester City should consider keeping Pep Guardiola at the club as director of football when he eventually steps down as manager, according to Stuart Pearce. Guardiola is under contract with City until the end of the 2026/27, but there have been repeated reports that he could step down at the end of the current campaign.
The 55-year-old has been in charge of City since 2016 and has overseen the most successful period in the club's history, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four Carabao Cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
He signed a new contract in November 2024 which runs until June 2027, yet speculation has ramped up over recent months. City have already begun the process of identifying his successor, with Guardiola's former assistant Enzo Maresca coming into the club's thinking after his exit from Chelsea in January.
Pearce managed City between 2005 and 2007 and thinks the club needs to try its utmost to keep Guardiola on board in some capacity, when the time comes for him to leave his current role.
"When you look at all football clubs around the world and look at how stable certain clubs are, Manchester City are one of the most stable of the lot. With the manager, you don’t see the owners clamouring for headlines. But it’s going to be a big, big ask to replace him when he leaves," he told Betway.
"Whether you look at a like-for-like replacement potentially, they’ve got feeder clubs around the world, but have they got managers around the world that might come in from their other clubs? That might be something going forward. A total change of style might set them back slightly.
"Can you replicate what he’s achieved already? It’s been absolutely incredible. Obviously, I was at City prior to the wealth and the riches arriving. So you can see the impact he’s had. I would try and hang on to him as long as humanly possible.
Pep Guardiola looks on from the Manchester City dugout
Pep Guardiola's future as manager remains unclear(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
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"There’s been talk over the last few years about him packing it in. Personally, if I was City, I would just keep him there – you might even want to keep him there as a director of football afterwards."
Guardiola has tried his best to deflect rumours about his future. "I have one more year on my contract," he said earlier this month. "The question of that is one or two months ago, you were not here but I will tell you again that it is the same answer I answered months ago."
In December he was more forthcoming, saying: "I'm happy here, I want to stay here. What can I say? Always results decide. When it is the [end of the] chapter the club will choose the best one to continue this incredible period in Man City.
"There have been rumours in the last years many, many times but I want to stay here. At the end of the season, we'll see." He added that City "must be prepared" to plan for his departure.
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