Pep Guardiola is set to step down as Manchester City manager at the end of the season, concluding a historic ten-year tenure at the Etihad Stadium.
According to breaking reports from The Daily Mail, the 55-year-old Catalan tactician will manage his final match on Sunday against Aston Villa, walking away from the final year of his contract which officially runs until June 2027.
Manchester City has already initiated the process of informing its commercial partners about the imminent departure.
An official club announcement is widely anticipated to take place on Sunday, immediately following the final whistle of the Premier League season.
According to GB News, plans are already in motion to honor his era of dominance with an open-top bus parade through Manchester’s Northern Quarter on Monday afternoon, allowing fans to bid farewell to the most successful manager in the club’s history.
Sources close to the situation indicate that Guardiola is choosing to leave the high-pressure environment of English football to take a temporary sabbatical, prioritizing his personal well-being and physical health after a grueling decade at the helm.
His departure brings down the curtain on a legendary decade that transformed the landscape of the English game.
Since arriving from Bayern Munich in 2016, Guardiola has amassed an extraordinary haul of 20 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s maiden UEFA Champions League crown.
Manchester City appears fully prepared for the transition, having already secured a replacement to mitigate the looming void.
According to talkSPORT, former Manchester City assistant coach and ex-Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has reached an agreement in principle to succeed Guardiola on a long-term contract.
While Sky Sports notes that club officials have kept tight-lipped during a crucial week in the Premier League title race, the widespread consensus across sports media indicates that the formal baton handover will be completed ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.
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