If the reports are true and Pep Guardiola is leaving Manchester City at the end of the season, there are several names who would likely accept a possibly-poisoned chalice at the Etihad Stadium as the next Man City boss.
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Taking over for Pep Guardiola is no easy task, but City have some intriguing options that may get more patience in the hot seat than most candidates.
There’s a lot to be said for at least three men who have been or currently are assistants to Pep Guardiola.
David Ornstein and Sam Lee are reporting that one of them — Enzo Maresca — may already be known as the man to take the job.
We’ll get to all of them and more, as well as the issue of timing, below.
Why is Pep Guardiola exit report coming now?
Maybe it was always planned for now, but we imagine both City and Guardiola would’ve been motivated by recent announcements.
This was always expected to be a summer of manager upheaval with the World Cup, but Chelsea’s appointment of Xabi Alonso, Luis Enrique’s new deal at PSG, and Jose Mourinho’s move to Real Madrid all might’ve inspired City to hit fast-forward on telling the world the job will be open soon.
Or maybe City needed to announce the move in order to lock down Maresca.
And of course Guardiola will want to stay goodbye to the Etihad Stadium in style and Sunday’s visit from Aston Villa gives a good chance to do so — title or not.
Candidate to replace Guardiola at Man City: Enzo Maresca
Pep’s longtime lieutenant did exceptional jobs at Leicester City and Chelsea, and would likely love the opportunity to lead City against the latter.
He does seem to have the perfect mentality to take the reins from a legend, and Guardiola would like be pleased with the decision.
Candidate to replace Guardiola at Man City: Vincent Kompany
Kompany has done everything but win the Champions League since his surprise appointment at Bayern Munich following struggles at Burnley — which have only proven to be a repeatable issue at Turf Moor.
His attack-first mentality has drawn rave reviews at Bayern.
Candidate to replace Guardiola at Man City: Antonio Conte
He’s not anywhere for a long time but he’s there for a good time almost every time.
Conte has led Napoli back to the Champions League and certainly would relish the chance to try to win his first UCL as a manager at a club seeking its second European Cup.
Candidate to replace Guardiola at Man City: Andoni Iraola
He’s leaving Bournemouth but so many of the reports have mentioned a hunger to return to Spain.
Were he to stay, he might be the best like-for-like replacement and the idea of him working with a much bigger budget is dripping with intrigue.
Candidate to replace Guardiola at Man City: Pep Ljinders
Might Jurgen Klopp’s former assistant have taken the gig as Guardiola’s second-in-command this season under the idea that the job could soon be his?
Candidate to replace Guardiola at Man City: Luis Enrique
He may become a back-to-back Champions League winner if PSG can upend Arsenal in the final, but he’s reportedly lined up a new deal in France through the 2029-20 season.
