Fakayejo Paul
The earthquake the Premier League has been bracing for has finally hit. As of Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Pep Guardiola has informed the Manchester City hierarchy of his definitive decision to step down at the conclusion of the season, bringing down the curtain on a historic 10-year tenure at the Etihad.
While City have officially declined to comment ahead of an official announcement expected this Sunday, key club stakeholders and backroom staff have already been briefed. The Catalan genius will oversee his final two Premier League matches—starting tonight away at Bournemouth and concluding at home against Aston Villa—before bidding an emotional farewell.
The Legacy of a Master
Guardiola leaves behind a legacy that has fundamentally transformed English football. Since arriving in July 2016, he has turned the blue half of Manchester into an unstoppable juggernaut:
- The Hardware: 6 Premier League titles (including an unprecedented four-in-a-row), City’s historic first UEFA Champions League trophy in 2023, 3 FA Cups, and 5 League Cups.
- One Last Treble? Just three days ago, City lifted the FA Cup at Wembley after a 1-0 win over Chelsea. If they win their final two games and Arsenal slip up against Crystal Palace, Guardiola could walk away having completed a spectacular domestic treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup).
- The Parade: The club is already organizing a massive open-top bus celebration through the streets of Manchester next Monday to honor Pep alongside the players, women’s, and academy teams.
The Successor Lined Up: Enzo Maresca
Manchester City are not panicking. Succession planning has been underway behind the scenes for months, and the hierarchy has identified just one name to carry the torch: Enzo Maresca.
An “agreement in principle” is already locked in with the 46-year-old Italian tactical mind to step into the biggest shoes in world football.
Why Maresca is the “Only” Candidate
The Tactical Continuity: Maresca is widely viewed as a tactical purist who shares Guardiola’s philosophy on positional play and inverted full-backs. The City board believes his appointment will minimize disruption to a squad meticulously built for a very specific style of football.
Following 10 years of absolute dominance under Pep, is appointing his former apprentice Enzo Maresca the ultimate masterstroke for seamless continuity, or is the pressure of replacing a literal footballing deity an impossible task for any manager stepping into the Etihad dugout?
The DNA Factor: Maresca is intimately familiar with the Etihad infrastructure. He managed City’s Elite Development Squad (U21s) to a league title in 2021, before returning to serve as Pep’s direct assistant manager during the legendary 2022/23 Treble-winning campaign.
Proven Silverware: Since leaving Pep’s side, Maresca has proven his own pedigree. After promoting Leicester City, he moved to Chelsea where he won both the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 before departing Stamford Bridge in January.