Who will replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been credited by many pundits and managers for ‘transforming English football’. City fans will be hoping he has many more years to come at the club, however, there will come a point when he waves goodbye to the Etihad Stadium.
Here is a look at who could fill his shoes based on Paddy Power’s next Manchester City manager odds.
Roberto De Zerbi
Just like when Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United, Guardiola may have a say on who replaces him at Manchester City. Guardiola has been very vocal about how much he rates former Brighton manager Robert De Zerbi.
The Premier League champions have made an excellent start to the season and Guardiola will be hoping that continues when they travel up to the North East. They are the 4/7 favourites in the Newcastle vs Man City betting.
The football odds suggest Manchester City are the team to beat again this season, as they are the 11/10 favourites in the Premier League outright betting. Should Guardiola lift the trophy again, he could decide to walk away. De Zerbi, now at Marseille, is the 3/1 favourite to take over. He is likely to find the job too hard to turn down should he be offered the role.
Vincent Kompany
Former captain Vincent Kompany won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four EFL Cups during his time at Manchester City as a defender between 2008 and 2019. He has legendary status due to his success during that period.
Kompany’s managerial career began at Burnley. He helped the club secure promotion to the Premier League in his first season at Turf Moor. Unfortunately for the Belgian, he was unable to keep the Lancashire club up on their return to the top flight of English football.
In what was surprising news to many, Bayern Munich secured Kompany’s services back in the summer to manage the German giants. That is a big opportunity for the 36-year-old so early in his managerial career. If things go well at Bayern, he could prove he is the right man to take over from his former boss. Kompany is the 5/1 second favourite in the next Manchester City manager betting.
Xabi Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso was heavily linked with Liverpool earlier this year when Jurgen Klopp stepped down at the Merseyside club. They opted for Dutchman Arne Slot in the end.
Alonso won the double with Leverkusen last season, prevailing in the Bundesliga and German Cup. They did not lose a single game all year in the German league in what was a fantastic achievement.
Alonso is 6/1 to take over his Spanish compatriot at Manchester City. By the time Guardiola steps down at Manchester City, Alonso’s reputation may have improved further. For now, he is bidding to defend the Bundesliga trophy, with Bayern Munich being their biggest threats once again.
When the time is right for Guardiola to leave, he is sure to have many offers on the table for his services. The FA, for one, will be keeping an eye on his availability for their vacant national team manager position. It will be up to Guardiola to decide where he wants his next challenge to be.
2024-09-22