There’s a sense of trepidation and panic around the Etihad Stadium, with everyone at Manchester City awaiting Pep Guardiola’s decision on his future with bated breath.
With the help of legendary director of football Txiki Begiristain, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has built a dynasty, forcing cross-city rivals Manchester United into his shadow.
Over his trophy-laden eight-year stint, the 53-year-old has turned Man City into one of the most successful clubs in England, making them a force to be reckoned with in the country and Europe.
However, as his contract draws to a close, the unprecedented four-time Premier League champions are in the market for a suitable, long-term replacement.
A name-your-price offer is there for one of the best football managers ever to continue shattering records in Manchester, but there’s this feeling that it’s all in vain.
Guardiola could use November’s international window to announce his decision, considering he’ll unlikely let the uncertainty linger into 2025, and few expect him to pledge his loyalty to the Cityzens.
The challenge of replacing a visionary like Guardiola feels nearly unattainable, yet Man City will go to great lengths to ensure a smooth transition.
Perhaps taking a cue from Liverpool’s recent shift in the dugout, they’re searching for a manager with an identical football philosophy and methods as Guardiola.
According to The Guardian, Sporting Lisbon chief of staff Ruben Amorim is in the driver’s seat to take the Spaniard’s place in the dugout at the end of the season.
Natural Choice
West Ham United chiefs must be kicking themselves for wasting a golden opportunity to hire the up-and-coming Portuguese manager during the summer.
Everything looked set for Amorim’s switch to London, but an agreement never came through.
It could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Sporting boss.
After winning two Primeira Liga titles in the last three years, Amorim is ready to take a quantum leap and follow in the steps of Arne Slot, who swapped the Eredivisie for Liverpool this summer.
The 39-year-old was in contention for the Reds job after Jurgen Klopp announced his departure but eventually lost that race to the Dutch coach.
Only 12 months later, the two could shape up a new rivalry in the Premier League.
With his close associate, Hugo Viana, ready to take over from Begiristain, Man City’s ambition to lure the highly-rated Lisbon native to the Etihad feels natural.
Despite taking the lead, Amorim isn’t the only candidate for the job as we examine two other potential contenders.
Dream Combination
Xabi Alonso was supposed to be Klopp’s heir at Liverpool.
Inherently tied to Anfield, Alonso seemed destined to return to his old stomping ground after a record-breaking season at Bayer Leverkusen.
But he decided to commit his future to the BayArena instead.
For someone who made a name for himself at Liverpool, allying with Man City would feel like a betrayal.
Alonso’s connection to the red part of Merseyside runs deep, but he would unlikely stay immune to a blank cheque the Cityzens could put forward.
Given the ex-midfielder’s tactical approach and vision, it would be a match made in heaven.
Dark Horse
With Vincent Kompany and Roberto De Zerbi no longer in the picture, the list of potential targets shrunk significantly.
It’s not like Man City to go after someone who doesn’t generate buzz or stay away from a media spotlight.
However, if they perform a sudden U-turn in their recruiting policy, Girona’s Michel could emerge as an exciting prospect, even though his experience at the highest level remains limited.
Michel did the unthinkable last season, defying Girona’s status as La Liga minnows to steer the club to the UEFA Champions League proper for the first time in history.
In doing so, he became a household name in the Iberian Peninsula.
Given Man City’s intimate relationship with Girona, it wouldn’t be unimaginable to see the 48-year-old swapping allegiances in the foreseeable future.
After all, his style is almost a spitting image of Guardiola’s famous ‘tiki-taka.’
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