Manchester City set to move for 42-year-old manager to replace Pep Guardiola if he opts to leave | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City have seemingly identified their number one candidate to replace Pep Guardiola, should he leave at the end of the ongoing season.

The 53-year-old remains in the process of deciding what comes next for him in his career, with his current Manchester City contract expiring in the summer of 2025 and it remaining unknown as to whether any discussions have yet taken place over a renewal.

Guardiola is understood to have spent some time in Abu Dhabi, the country of Manchester City’s ownership group, during the recent international break taking part in ‘commercial commitments’, whilst also visiting the club’s chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

With change taking place at the very top of the club and having been confirmed by Manchester City in the last few weeks, with Txiki Begiristain making way for Hugo Viana at the end of the season, plans are likely being put in place to prepare for the possibility of a Guardiola exit.

The arrival of Viana into the role of Director of Football has naturally drawn Manchester City into media reports linking them with interest in Sporting CP coach, Ruben Amorim. However, a new report has pointed towards another candidate as their number one option.

According to the information of Football Transfers’ Steve Kay, should Pep Guardiola opt to leave Manchester City, ‘a source close to the clubs’ has now revealed that Bayer Lexerkusen’s Xabi Alonso is currently the only candidate that they are “seriously considering”.

The Etihad Stadium hierarchy are reportedly ‘unanimously’ in agreement that the Spanish coach is the ideal successor to Pep Guardiola, and they believe he can continue the Catalan’s legacy at the club.

Both Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola have spoken highly of one another on various occasions during their respective coaching careers, having previously worked together during their respective stays with Bayern Munich.

Speaking in 2019, Alonso said of the Manchester City manager, “Pep (Guardiola) was a great motivator and, as a human being, he was really intense and passionate.

“He was a great strategist about the game, about what we had to do to play good football and about the little details. He was bang on it.”

As for the view from Guardiola on Alonso, the Manchester City coach has always been supportive of his ventures, challenges, and achievements at Bayer Leverkusen, stating in 2022, Pep Guardiola: “I am pleased for Xabi Alonso.

“He was an exceptional holding midfielder. He is a lovely person, lovely guy and I am so happy for him. I wish him the best and I hope he does a good job.”