Pep Guardiola leaves: Enzo Maresca, Vincent Kompany and three other candidates to replace legendary manager at Manchester City

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It has been confirmed that Pep Guardiola will depart Manchester City this summer after a decade at the club.

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The news was announced on Friday afternoon just two days before City's final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.

The 55-year-old has won 20 major trophies during his tenure at Etihad Stadium, including the UEFA Champions League and six Premier League titles.

In his final campaign at the club, City have won both domestic cup competitions, beating Arsenal and Chelsea in the finals of the Carabao Cup and Emirates FA Cup, respectively.

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So, with the longest-serving manager in the league preparing to depart, we take a look at the potential candidates who could take on the task of filling Guardiola’s shoes.

Enzo Maresca

Former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is the favourite to replace Guardiola.

The Italian’s exit from The Blues in January came after discussions with City representatives over him potentially taking over at the Etihad, according to widespread reports.

Maresca, who remains out of work, managed City’s under-21 side during the 2020/21 campaign before joining the first team as an assistant to Guardiola in the summer of 2022.

Following Man City’s treble-winning campaign, the 46-year-old became head coach of Leicester City, and successfully guided the club back to the Premier League with the Championship title.

He was then named Chelsea head coach in the summer of 2024 and took the club to UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup glory before his departure in January.

Given his previous spells at Man City, time working under Guardiola, and immediate availability, Maresca appears a likely candidate.

Vincent Kompany

City’s former captain Vincent Kompany has been tipped for a return to Manchester following a successful couple of seasons in charge of Bayern Munich.

The 40-year-old has guided the German giants to successive Bundesliga titles, with this year’s triumph coming in particularly impressive fashion.

Kompany’s attacking approach has also proved effective on the continent, with Bayern’s 43 goals in the Champions League this season second only to the 44 scored by Paris Saint-Germain, who edged the Germans in a thrilling semi-final tie.

Highlights: PSG beat Bayern in wild nine-goal epic

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Kompany will naturally have a strong emotional connection to City, having made 360 appearances during 11 years with the club, winning four league titles in that time.

However, the Belgian’s contract in Bavaria runs until the summer of 2029 and, with arguably Europe’s deadliest attack at his disposal, will he want to up sticks?

There is also a black mark on his record of suffering relegation in his only managerial experience in the Premier League, with Burnley in the 2023/24 season.

Oliver Glasner

Oliver Glasner has been named as a potential Guardiola replacement, with the Austrian departing Crystal Palace this summer after a fruitful spell in south London.

The 51-year-old guided Palace to their first major trophy in their history with FA Cup success last season, beating City in the final, while The Eagles have a UEFA Conference League final on the horizon in their first campaign in Europe.

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Glasner, who arrived at Palace in February 2024, had already proved himself on the European stage, having won the Europa League with Frankfurt two years earlier.

After announcing his decision to leave Palace in January, Glasner’s name had been linked with other Premier League roles, including at Manchester United and Chelsea.

But with Michael Carrick set to continue in the dugout at Old Trafford and Xabi Alonso taking over in west London, there is less competition for Man City should they wish to land the Austrian.

However, there may be question marks over whether Glasner could translate his success to a club at the top end of the Premier League, particularly given his distinct style of play with the use of a back three, a system not generally used during Guardiola’s tenure.

Andoni Iraola

From one highly-rated Premier League manager available this summer to another, with Andoni Iraola leaving Bournemouth after an incredibly impressive three years at Vitality Stadium.

One of his final acts at Bournemouth was to deny Man City the Premier League title, with a 1-1 draw in the penultimate game of the season ensuring Guardiola's men could not catch Arsenal.

There were question marks over the Basque coach's appointment, with it coming shortly after the sacking of Gary O’Neil, who had successfully steered The Cherries away from relegation.

Highlights: Brilliant Bournemouth stun Arsenal as Gunners dealt title blow

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But Iraola has taken the club to new heights, guiding them to 12th and ninth-placed finishes in the past two campaigns and in contention for European football this time around, well on course for sixth position.

Bournemouth’s strong campaign has been particularly impressive given their outgoings last summer, while Iraola’s high-energy style of football has gained plenty of admirers.

The 43-year-old had been linked with a return to former side Athletic Club, though they have appointed Edin Terzic as their new head coach, raising the feasibility of a move to the Etihad.

However, it has been widely reported that Iraola is a leading candidate to replace Glasner at Palace, despite Bournemouth’s superior league position this season.

Luis Enrique

The hottest managerial property in world football has also been named as a potential candidate.

Luis Enrique is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of next season, leading to speculation of a move elsewhere.

There would certainly be no shortage of clubs gunning for the 56-year-old’s signature, with his PSG side setting Europe alight in the past two seasons.

However, the Spaniard is reportedly on the verge of signing a new four-year deal in the French capital, with his team one win away from successive Champions League titles.

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