Manchester City are making internal preparations for life without Pep Guardiola, with sources telling BBC Sport that the club expect their iconic manager to leave Etihad Stadium when the current Premier League campaign concludes. Sunday's home fixture against Aston Villa is set to be his final match in charge — unless the noises out of the club change dramatically in the coming days.

The situation carries an obvious tension. City maintain Guardiola holds a contract for next season and remain hopeful he will stay. Yet staff members and players alike are operating under the working assumption that this is goodbye, and the club have already begun considering how best to honour a decade of extraordinary success. One option under consideration is naming the newly expanded North Stand after the departing Catalan — though Guardiola himself, when asked about the idea at a recent press conference, was characteristically dismissive. "No, no, no, no, no, no," he said. "They don't have to do anything, honestly."

Guardiola has been typically bullish when questioned directly about his future. Ahead of the FA Cup final, he told BBC Sport flatly that he would still be at the club next season. "I am here, I have a contract," he said. At another briefing, visibly weary of the topic, he simply sighed and said: "Next. So many times — I have one more year." Whether those are the words of a man intending to see that year out, or simply a manager refusing to announce his own leaving party, is the question hanging over the Etihad right now.

Maresca the Name in the Frame

With the speculation intensifying, attention has turned to who might follow one of the greatest managers in the sport's history. Former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is understood to be the frontrunner for the role. Crucially, Maresca has existing ties to the club — he worked under Guardiola during his time on the coaching staff at City, giving him a familiarity with the organisation's culture and footballing philosophy that would appeal to those making the decision at boardroom level.

Maresca left Chelsea at the end of last season and would represent a continuity-minded appointment — a manager schooled in the same possession-based principles that have defined the Guardiola era. Whether he can replicate even a fraction of his mentor's output is, of course, a rather larger question.

The Scale of What Guardiola Leaves Behind

Any successor inherits an almost impossibly gilded legacy. In ten seasons, Guardiola has delivered 17 major trophies — 20 in all — including six Premier League titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups and five EFL Cups. In 2017-18, his side became the only team in Premier League history to reach 100 points in a single season, also scoring a record 106 goals. Five years later, they became only the second English club ever to complete the Treble.

This season alone, City have already lifted the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, and could yet add a seventh league title depending on how the final day unfolds against Villa. It would be a fitting send-off — though with Guardiola publicly insisting he is going nowhere, the club will be careful about how publicly they acknowledge that transition is already in motion.

What is clear is that City's preparations are advanced enough to suggest this is less a rumour and more an imminent reality. The market has long since priced in his departure. Now, it seems, so has the club itself.

What Comes Next

The formal announcement, whenever it arrives, will trigger one of the most significant managerial appointments in Premier League history. Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension as recently as November 2024, which means any exit would come early — though the mutual willingness to part on good terms appears to be firmly in place on both sides.

For City supporters, Sunday's game against Villa carries the weight of a farewell whether or not it is officially billed as one. For the rest of the Premier League, the news will arrive with a measure of relief. Guardiola's City have been the benchmark for a decade. Working out how to live up to it will be the challenge that defines whoever walks through the Etihad's doors next.

Frequently asked

Is Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City?
According to BBC Sport sources, Manchester City are preparing for Guardiola to leave at the end of the 2025-26 season. The club officially maintain he has a contract for next season, but staff and players are said to be anticipating his departure.
Who is favourite to replace Guardiola at Man City?
Enzo Maresca is understood to be the frontrunner to succeed Guardiola. The former Chelsea manager previously worked under Guardiola as part of City's coaching staff.
How many trophies has Guardiola won at Manchester City?
Guardiola has won 17 major trophies at City — 20 in total — including six Premier League titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups and five EFL Cups across his ten-year tenure.