Manchester City fear that Pep Guardiola will leave the club next summer, with his contract set to expire in 2025.

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 31, 2024. (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 31, 2024. (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

The Daily Mail report that Pep Guardiola is set to end his Manchester City spell next summer, with just 12 months left on his current deal with the club.

City will give Guardiola space to make the call, but the hierarchy believe he’s set to leave, despite no formal indications either way.

The club are beginning their succession planning, and sources at City and within the industry are openly discussing the prospect of his departure.

fbl eng pr man city arsenal
Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) hugs Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola at the end of the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 31, 2024. (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

Guardiola’s departure would obviously be significant, with the manager overseeing an unprecedented spell of success with City, albeit with those 115 allegations of rule breaches hanging over them.

But City are an incredibly rich club. Unless serious action is taken as a result of those allegations, it seems likely they’ll be able to wave enough money around to attract a top coach as Guardiola’s replacement.

It would be foolish to expect the club to simply fade away when Guardiola goes.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, and Erling Haaland interact after the team's victory in the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on October 29, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, and Erling Haaland interact after the team’s victory in the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on October 29, 2023. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Yet the decision would certainly give encouragement to those around City, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal foremost amongst the chasing pack.

Arsenal would have won the Premier League in 2022/23 and 2023/24 if not for City, and they’ll hope to get one over on Guardiola in 2024/25 before he leaves.

After that, the City manager’s departure could open up an opportunity for Arsenal to continue to capitalise.