Man City ‘already preparing for life after Pep Guardiola’ and believe Girona’s Michel could be the man to ‘continue his legacy’ after superb La Liga season
- Pep Guardiola’s contract with City ends in 2025 and it is unclear whether he will extend it
- Michel has had an eventful season with Girona, a City Football Group club
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Manchester City is already preparing for a post-Pep Guardiola world.
The club is working on a succession plan for its manager, whose contract expires in the summer of 2025.
Guardiola hinted he could extend his contract at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season and that the club would love to keep him.
However, he will have managed City for nine seasons at the end of his contract – longer than his tenures at Barcelona and Bayern Munich combined – and City recognize he will not be there forever.
They see Girona’s Michel Sanchez as a potential successor, according to Relevo.
Manchester City reportedly already has succession plans in place in case Pep Guardiola leaves in 2025
Guardiola’s contract expires in 2025 and he will have spent nine seasons with City by then.
Girona are third in La Liga despite this being only their fourth top-flight season in history.
Michel has received widespread praise for leading what would seem a fairly average group of players into the cusp of Champions League qualification.
Paulo Gazzaniga and Cristhian Stuani are among their ranks while they also picked up 34-year-old Daley Blind. Eric Garcia is on loan from Barcelona.
Girona’s growth has been accelerated by being part of the City Football Group – the organization which manages 13 clubs, including Manchester City – but the speed and style of change has been unexpected. Another place in the top half would have been a good achievement this season.
Relevo reports that Michel has gained the trust and respect of the top bosses at City Football Group and is learning English to prepare for a possible transfer.
City could be set for big changes after the 2024/25 season, with sentiment growing that Txiki Begiristain, the club’s director of football, could also leave after this campaign.
Michel, who is having an excellent season with Girona, would be considered a potential successor.
Whoever succeeds Guardiola will have a whole stock of boots to fill.
City are chasing their sixth Premier League title under his command.
If they win the Premier League this year, they will have achieved a feat never before achieved in the history of English football: winning the top division four seasons in a row.
They could have completed a historic double treble, but were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals on penalties by Real Madrid on Wednesday.
