-
Man City fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura will leave the club this summer
-
Goalkeeper coach Xabi Mancisidor is also set to depart upon end of his contract
-
Pep Guardiola faces an uncertain future at the Etihad Stadium as he enters last year of deal
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is set to see long-serving fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura and goalkeeper coach Xabi Mancisidor leave the club this summer.
The upcoming departures of two seasoned members of City’s coaching staff, which has undergone a revamp in the last 12 months, clouds further uncertainty over Guardiola’s own future at the club.
Advertisement
Guardiola has been widely linked with a departure from the Etihad Stadium this summer despite being under contract till next summer, though the Catalan has maintained he is not thinking about leaving when probed on the subject in press conferences in recent months.
Manchester City fitness and goalkeeper coaches to leave this summer as Pep Guardiola uncertainty grows
City director of football Hugo Viana and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak are understood to be leading the club’s pursuit of a potent successor for Guardiola, who will complete a decade at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
What Buenaventura & Mancisidor exits mean for Guardiola
As reported by Sam Lee of The Athletic, numerous members of the Manchester City first-team bubble have a growing expectation that Guardiola will indeed leave this summer – in the wake of Buenaventura and Mancisidor leaving.
Advertisement
Buenaventura has worked alongside Guardiola since his days managing Barcelona and is said to share a close friendship with the Catalan, who is expected to make a firm decision on his plans for next season at the end of the month.
However, the report also cites a change in mood in and around the Etihad Stadium of late as Guardiola continues to be inspired by an in-transition Manchester City side exceeding expectations this season amid their pursuit of a domestic treble.
It is also worth baring in mind that City have invested over £250 million to rebuild their first-team squad since January 2025, with January signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi also seamlessly integrating to life at the Etihad Stadium.
Does this mean Guardiola will leave Man City this summer?
The story goes on to state that sources in knowledge of the Manchester City setup believe it is inconceivable that Guardiola stays on without trusted confidante Buenaventura, who has been instrumental in keeping the successful City sides of the last decade fit and firing on all cylinders.
“I spoke about that in the past” – Pep Guardiola coy about formal talks over Manchester City future
Equally, there is a growing expectation that City’s resurgence in the business end of the season will convince Guardiola to see through the final year of his current deal.
Advertisement
City maintained the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday night as Guardiola made six changes to his lineup ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea.
The Blues lifted the Carabao Cup at Wembley by beating Arsenal in the final in March and while they may have left it too little, too late in the title race, City will be confident of beating Chelsea at Wembley to make it a cup double this season.
Read the full article here
