10 Most Likely Managers to Replace Pep Guardiola at Man City [Ranked]

There’s no understating the impact that Pep Guardiola has had on Manchester City’s fortunes since arriving from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2016, winning all there is to win both domestically and on the European stage.

Winning the treble is most probably the apex of his managerial stint in England – and there have rarely been prolonged moments of worry. But as the old adage goes: all good things must come to an end.

However, despite the fact that he recently signed on the dotted line, extending his stay until the summer of 2027, the club’s boardroom bosses will soon be contemplating life without the serial winner in the dugout.

That, combined with his poor run of form of late, and no tactician in the Premier League – irrespective of previous exploits – is safe from the axe being swung. With that in mind, here are the Catalan’s 10 most likely successors.

Michel, Girona

The mastermind of Girona’s fairytale 2023/24 season, Michel has burst onto the managerial scene like no other, making him an attractive prospect for the best teams in world football, including City. With the La Liga outfit part of the City Football Group, the switch from Girona to Manchester would be seamless. One of the primary drawbacks to appointing the Madrid-born tactician, who turns 50 in October, is that he is still in the infancy of his career, given he only began to cut his teeth in the Spanish top flight in 2017 with Rayo Vallecano.

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Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen

On the back of his double-winning season with Bayer Leverkusen, becoming Germany’s first-ever ‘Invincibles’ side in the process, Xabi Alonso was the name on everyone’s lips over the summer. Liverpool attempted to swoop in but landed at Arne Slot instead. Widely recognised as one of the best young managers in world football, what the former deep-lying midfielder has on his side is age and his ceiling is one of the highest on this list.

Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich

Given his existing links to the club, there is every chance that Vincent Kompany – who has spent time managing in the Premier League with Burnley – could return to his former outfit in the capacity of manager. Flying at the top of the German top flight at the time of writing, who would say no to the homecoming of a legend who has a statue of himself erected outside the Etihad Stadium?

Roberto De Zerbi, Marseille

Once the front-runner to become Guardiola’s successor thanks to his impressive stint with Brighton & Hove Albion, Roberto De Zerbi’s chances of landing the City job have somewhat decreased since joining Marseille. It would be remiss, however, to ignore how much of an astute tactician the Italian maestro is. The fact that Les Olympiens are nearing the summit of the French top tier just attests to his brilliance.

Zinedine Zidane, N/A

The positive about going for Zinedine Zidane’s services is that he is currently a free agent. Out of managerial work since leaving Real Madrid, a side he won three Champions League at on the other side of the white line, is there a world where the Frenchman could manage in England? Formerly a midfielder for Los Blancos, Juventus and the like, his football know-how is not in question, of course, but you’d expect to see him wanting a lofty wage. Could that prevent the Citizens from pouncing?

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Sebastian Hoeness, VfB Stuttgart

Born in Munich and having made a name for himself in the youth ranks at Bayern, Sebastain Hoeness has all the makings of a fantastic manager – and that’s exactly what the club’s higher-ups will be looking for in a Guardiola replacement. Still just at the tender age of 42, Hoeness could be viewed as a long-term project in east Manchester – something that has been the case with Guardiola.

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Marco Rose, RB Leipzig

Linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, Marco Rose – albeit not the flashiest name – could end up with their noisy neighbours instead upon Guardiola’s departure. Since RB Leipzig’s inception in 2009, no manager has had such a grasp on proceedings as the 48-year-old has so effortlessly – and it could be his man management skills that make him a leading contender for the job.

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham

Bringing an expansive, yet risky, brand of football to the north London-based outfit, Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Tottenham has been full of ups and downs. Having only arrived in England, from Scottish side Celtic, in the summer of 2023, a change in jobs may seem unlikely for the Greek-Australian. What could be enticing about Postecoglou, however, is the feeling he has brought back to the capital club – excitement.

Xavi, N/A

Similarly to the aforementioned Zidane, a potential upside to hiring Xavi Hernandez – one of the best passers in football history – is that he is currently without a club and the financial burden would be much simpler to soak up. The Spaniard has categorically said that he will not return to management in Spain, leaving the door ajar for a potential move to a Premier League side. His services, which helped Barcelona to a double-winning season in 2022/23, are there for the taking.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal

Albeit highly improbable, one cannot rule out Mikel Arteta moving back to City – this time as head honcho. Especially if his current employers, Arsenal, fail to win silverware for the next two seasons, the former Everton midfielder will be keen to add to his trophy cabinet. And he’ll be able to do that against his current rivals. In exchange, the reigning Premier League outfit will be getting one of the most innovative chiefs in the game, who has transformed the north Londoners into genuine title challengers.