Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday he will play no role in selecting his successor at the club and warned that any attempt to replicate his methods would be a mistake. Guardiola spoke to reporters at the Etihad Stadium ahead of City’s final Premier League match of the 2025–26 season, a home fixture against Aston Villa on Sunday, May 24. His departure after ten years in charge marks the end of the most decorated managerial tenure in the club’s history.
“It doesn’t work to copy and paste in this kind of job,” Guardiola told reporters. “You have to be unique, natural and yourself and the new manager will be himself.”
Guardiola said he is not expecting to be asked for his opinion on any potential appointment and has insisted he should not be involved in the search for the next coach. The statement effectively closes the door on any formal advisory role for the 55-year-old once he leaves the club.
Italian manager Enzo Maresca, who has previously coached Chelsea and Leicester City and also worked under Guardiola as an assistant at City, is reported to be the leading candidate for the top job. Guardiola declined to comment directly on Maresca’s candidacy but elaborated on the principle behind his advice.
“The moment it starts to be a copy of another one… Everyone is everyone. It has to be like that. And that’s why everything is going to be good,” he said.
Guardiola leaves City with the spectre of 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules still looming large over his tenure, but he said he was confident there was no cause for concern. Asked about the unresolved case, Guardiola said: “I trust them! Because I spoke with them and I trust how they behave and (what) they did. So what happened — there will be the resolution. I trust them.”
The financial charges, which Manchester City have denied, relate to alleged failures to provide accurate financial information to the Premier League over a period of several years. An independent commission has been hearing the case, though no verdict has yet been delivered. The outcome could carry significant consequences for the club regardless of who leads it next season.
Guardiola arrived in Manchester in July 2016 and has fundamentally altered the landscape of the Premier League, winning six league titles and a historic Treble during his stay. He also led City to a Champions League triumph and the Club World Cup. Goal.comOman Observer
His side’s “Centurions” campaign in 2017–18 set records for points (100), wins (32), and goals (106) in a single Premier League season. No manager in Premier League history has won as many top-flight titles at a single club. Goal.com
The 2025–26 season has been a sharp departure from City’s recent dominance. The club will not finish as champions, and Sunday’s game against Aston Villa carries no title implications — a contrast to multiple previous final-day fixtures that decided the Premier League in City’s favour.
Guardiola has confirmed that his immediate future involves stepping away from management, at least in the short term. He has not announced a new role, and no club appointment has been reported as of May 24. Goal.com
Maresca’s reported candidacy would represent an unusual dynamic. He worked directly under Guardiola at City before moving into senior management, winning the Championship title with Leicester City in 2023–24 before taking charge at Chelsea. If appointed, he would inherit a squad built around Guardiola’s positional play philosophy — the very system Guardiola now says his successor must feel free to depart from.
City’s administration has not publicly confirmed any candidate or stated a timeline for the appointment. The club is expected to make an announcement before pre-season training begins in early July.
Background
Pep Guardiola joined Manchester City in the summer of 2016, replacing Manuel Pellegrini. He won the Premier League in his second season and went on to claim five further titles. His contract, extended multiple times, ran through the end of the 2025–26 season. City announced in February 2026 that Guardiola would leave when his contract expired. The club’s 115 alleged Premier League financial rule breaches were referred to an independent commission in 2023; the hearing has continued across multiple sessions with no verdict announced as of May 2026.
What Happens Next
City play their final league fixture against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, May 24. That game will mark Guardiola’s last in charge. The club is expected to formally announce the incoming manager before pre-season begins in early July, according to reporting by ESPN. The independent commission handling the 115 charges will continue its proceedings, with a verdict expected later in 2026, though no official date has been confirmed.
