Pep Guardiola set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season

Pep Guardiola waves to Manchester City fans
Pep Guardiola waves to Manchester City fansPeter Powell / Reuters

Pep Guardiola is reportedly set to step down as Manchester City manager at the end of the season.

Guardiola's future at the club has been a source of speculation throughout the current campaign, with persistent talk of the Spaniard stepping down a year before his contract comes to an end.

It now looks as if he will indeed walk away, with  the BBC, the Daily Mail, the Athletic and others reporting that Man City's clash with Aston Villa at the weekend is expected to be his final match at the helm.

According to the BBC, staff members and players are of the understanding that he'll leave, bringing to an end a ten-year spell that has seen the club enjoy unprecedented levels of success.

As has been rumoured all season, Enzo Maresca is said to be the frontrunner to replace Guardiola.

Maresca worked as an assistant manager to the 55-year-old from 2022 to 2023 before going on to enjoy success at Leicester and Chelsea, winning the Championship, the Conference League and the Club World Cup.

He left Chelsea due to disagreements with higher-ups at the club, but has only had his reputation enhanced by their struggles since.