Guardiola will LEAVE Man City this summer!

Manchester City v Crystal Palace - Premier League

Pep Guardiola is set to bring his legendary tenure at Manchester City to an end this summer, with the Catalan coach expected to step down after the final game of the Premier League season. Having lead the club to unprecedented success, the 55-year-old will depart following the title decider against Aston Villa on Sunday.

A decade of dominance coming to an end

The landscape of English football is set for a seismic shift as Guardiola prepares to vacate his post at City. After ten years at the helm, the man who redefined the Premier League will stand down following Sunday’s final league clash against Aston Villa, ending a reign that has seen the Etihad club rise to the absolute pinnacle of the global game.

According to Daily Mail, Guardiola will bring down the curtain on an Etihad spell in which he has won 20 trophies and established City as one of the world’s leading clubs.

The 55-year-old has led City to six league titles, including an unprecedented four in succession, and took the club to its first Champions League triumph.

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Sponsors informed as announcement looms

City are already preparing for the fallout of the departure, with reports suggesting that the club’s hierarchy has begun the process of notifying key stakeholders.

It is thought that City have begun to tell their sponsor partners that the announcement is imminent. The news has also been an open secret among some of those close to Guardiola for several weeks.

The timing of the departure is designed to allow for a grand farewell. It is expected that the news will be confirmed some time on Sunday, in time for Guardiola’s stunning impact on English football to be celebrated at an open-top bus parade on Monday.

It is said the parade build-up will start at Manchester's Northern Quarter at 4pm before finishing outside the Colin Bell Stand reception at the Etihad Stadium an hour later.

Potential successors and a future role

While the hunt for a replacement begins in earnest, there is a possibility that Guardiola's connection with the City Football Group will not be severed entirely.

He has one year left on his contract, which he has continued to reference, and it is possible that he will stay on at the club in some capacity. However, his days in the dugout are numbered as he seeks a fresh challenge or a period of rest.

The Athletic reports that ex-Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca is likely to be the candidate that the City hierarchy settles on. Maresca left Chelsea in January after reportedly informing the club that he had held talks with City about replacing Guardiola.

Arsenal v Manchester City - Carabao Cup Final

One final trophy hunt

Guardiola’s final week as City boss could yet be his most decorated, as the club remains in the hunt for a historic double to cap off his tenure.

City beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup on Saturday and are still vying with Arsenal for the Premier League title. The legendary coach will be desperate to secure one last piece of silverware before his departure is made official. City face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday evening before the final game against Aston Villa at the Etihad on Sunday.