Pep Guardiola – Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Sylvester’s exit has opened possible doors for Haaland transfer 

Pep Guardiola – Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Sylvester’s exit has opened possible doors for Haaland transfer 

Pep Guardiola’s contract is set to expire in June 2025, so Manchester City may have to start planning for life after their inspirational manager over the coming year.

Julian Alvarez of Manchester City replaces Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City with Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City shaking hand during the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on May 25, 2024 in London, England.

If reports are to be believed, the coming 2024/25 season will be Pep Guardiola’s last at Manchester City.

 

He has left the door wide open to extend his contract into a tenth season, but has also made it clear he will walk away when the time is right. With the Club World Cup capping off next season, and the Premier League charges still overhanging City’s future, Guardiola may opt to walk away and take a break next summer after honouring his deal.

 

Reports emerging midway through City’s trophy parade last month suggested the expectation is that Guardiola will indeed leave the Etihad in 12 months time, and the club have always made clear the decision will be up to the Catalan who has done so much in catapulting City into Europe’s elite.

 

So what would a new manager have to contend with if they were given the unenviable task of succeeding City’s greatest ever manager?

 

For a start, the fallout of the club’s 115 Premier League charges for alleged rule breaks will dominate the landscape of whoever is in charge next summer. A decision on the charges is reportedly expected in 2025, and if the verdict goes against the Blues it could have seismic repercussions.

 

City insist they are innocent, but a guilty verdict could result in huge fines, points deductions or even relegation. It would hardly be the ideal starting point for a new boss, and if City were thrown out of the Premier League there would surely be a long queue of players looking to leave.

 

These possibilities are all hypothetical however, with no precedent set for charges of this nature, so no way of predicting what any punishment could be. On the other hand, if City were vindicated, they may feel more empowered than ever and the manager would have a more-than-solid platform to build on.

 

Assuming City will remain in the Premier League, the manager for the 2025/26 season will have an unusual pre-season campaign given the Blues could be in Club World Cup action until mid-July. The players will need a break, so the usual pre-season tour won’t happen, and any new boss would not have as much time to introduce their new ideas.

 

 

Next summer, Kevin De Bruyne will be out of contract, and he has floated the idea of a payday in Saudi Arabia already this month. De Bruyne will be 34 by the start of the 2025/26 campaign, so even if he remains a City player, there will have to be a succession plan in place.

 

Signing a replacement, if it hasn’t been sorted this summer, will be a priority, as will securing a fitting exit for De Bruyne when that time is right.

 

The futures of Bernardo Silva, Ederson and Kyle Walker will also need to be decided upon. They will all be in the final years of their contracts and all north of 30. Like De Bruyne, succession plans for the influential trio will be high on the in-tray of any manager who would succeed Guardiola.

 

 

Erling Haaland is contracted until 2027, but his camp are clear the striker wants to experience other leagues in his career. Real Madrid will always be linked with Haaland, and if they could afford him to partner Kylian Mbappe, keeping hold of him will be another priority.

 

Refreshing what will be an ageing squad will be paramount over the next two years, whether Guardiola is in charge or not. As well as the players already mentioned, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Jack Grealish and Manu Akanji will all be 30 or over by September 2025, while Rodri and Ruben Dias will be 29.

 

Guardiola’s exit, whenever it happens, will shake City to the core, and any new manager will not have a simple brief. City will hope their structure means the transition will be as seamless as possible, but the issue of the charges and a number of transfer uncertainties could give Guardiola’s successor an uphill battle before they have even started.