Manchester City braced for major change in the dugout at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season

Last Updated on 18 December 2025

For nearly a decade, Manchester City have felt immovable. Stable. Predictable at the very top. But behind the scenes, that certainty is starting to wobble.

Quiet conversations. Internal contingency planning. And a growing sense that Manchester City’s most defining eras may be approaching a natural end, sooner than expected.

The public line hasn’t changed. Contracts are signed. Commitments are in place. Yet sources close to the Etihad insist the mood tells a different story and David Ornstein as always has provided the “bomba”.

Manchester City insiders expect Guardiola’s reign to end sooner than planned

Pep Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension in November 2024, officially tying him to Manchester City until the end of the 2026/27 season. At the time, it was framed as a statement of stability amid mounting pressure and fatigue.

Privately, however, that deal was never viewed as a guarantee.

According to The Athletic, this lines with the internal expectations that have been building for months at the Etihad. Guardiola himself has repeatedly described the current campaign as the most mentally draining of his managerial career in England.

City’s hierarchy are understood to believe that if Guardiola leaves, it will be on his terms. Not because of results, but because of burnout. The relentless chase for perfection, the emotional toll of constant reinvention, and the sense that the cycle may be complete.

Why Enzo Maresca is emerging as a serious successor candidate

If Guardiola does step aside, Manchester City want continuity not a revolution.

That’s where Enzo Maresca enters the picture.

The Chelsea head coach is highly rated within City Football Group circles, not just because of his recent Premier League work, but due to his deep roots in Guardiola’s footballing ideology.

Maresca spent time under Pep at City, understands the positional framework, and coaches within the same tactical language.

City view him as a natural heir, not a stylistic gamble.

Unlike external candidates, Maresca wouldn’t need to overhaul the squad or philosophy. The structure, patterns, and recruitment model would remain intact, a crucial factor for a club built on long-term continuity.

Whether Chelsea would allow such a move is another question entirely. But from City’s perspective, the groundwork is already being laid.