Manchester City’s recent defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup final serves as a reminder that their era of success under Pep Guardiola may be coming to an end. As the club prepares for the highly-lucrative Fifa Club World Cup in 2025, they may also have to say goodbye to Guardiola, who has brought them so much success. Additionally, there is uncertainty surrounding the club due to 115 charges of financial irregularity leveled against them by Premier League chiefs. While City continue to deny any wrongdoing and are confident of being cleared, football finance expert Stefan Borson has warned that if they are found guilty, relegation could be inevitable for the Premier League winners.
The ongoing case casts a cloud over the club and everything they achieve until it is resolved. Guardiola has stated that he will not leave his current job until the club’s name is cleared, and his contract is set to expire next summer. When Guardiola signed his last extension in 2022, it was believed to be his final one. However, there has been no indication yet from the former Barcelona coach about wanting to stay beyond nine years. Despite winning a record fourth straight Premier League title, Guardiola has admitted uncertainty about what else there is for him to achieve in England. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who shares a close relationship with Guardiola, may make efforts to persuade him to stay.
If Guardiola does leave after the 2024-25 season and the Club World Cup, City will face the challenge of finding a suitable replacement for a manager who has won six of the last eight Premier League titles. It may also be difficult to attract new players to the club knowing that Guardiola’s tenure may only last for one more year. Current stars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ederson, and Stefan Ortega have been linked with moves away from City, creating further uncertainty about the team’s future. To generate funds for potential transfers, the club may need to sell players like Joao Cancelo, Kalvin Phillips, Yan Couto, and James McAtee. They may also be in the market for a new midfielder, but their pursuit of West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta has hit a setback due to FA charges against him. Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes is admired, but his £100 million price tag poses a problem.
Despite these uncertainties, director of football Txiki Begiristain has assured Guardiola that most of the current squad is keen to stay at the Etihad. However, Guardiola has shown in the past that he is not afraid to let go of club legends if necessary. As Guardiola heads off for his holidays, there is much for him and the club to ponder as they navigate an uncertain future.