Manchester City: the departure of Pep Guardiola could become clearer

It’s an open secret, but Pep Guardiola’s contract with Manchester City will end on June 30, 2025. And since he officially entered his final year, the Catalan tactician has maintained a breathless suspense about his future. “I have to think about what I’m going to do with my life, if I want to continue here, if I want to take a break, if I want to coach a national team or not. I’m very excited about the season because I see things that I like. It’s a new challenge, to see if we can beat our own record.”Guardiola even declared during a press briefing in August. Information, revealed yesterday in the columns of The Athleticcould indeed change the entire trajectory of the Cityzens but above all the master conductor of this fabulous sporting project begun with the arrival of Pep Guardiola in 2016. Indeed, sporting director of Manchester City since 2012, Txiki Begiristain has decided to not to continue his adventure in England after next summer.

He will nevertheless work in collaboration with his replacement for the second half of this season to ensure a smooth transition at the end of the campaign. Under his governance, the Citizens will have won numerous titles, including the famous Champions League in 2023. It is a page that is turning at Manchester City. He had initially planned to retire from operations at the age of 55, but decided to invest in the project for a few more years, extending his departure until his 60th birthday. He now believes his time at the club has come to an end and the club management appears to support his decision. Management has reportedly reached an agreement to appoint a replacement, who should take office at the beginning of 2025.

The loss of his right arm changes the situation

According to the latest information from the British press, Quique Cárcel, current sporting director of Girona, was one of the possible candidates to replace Begiristain, who has played an essential role in City’s success over the last 12 years, but he would have already declined the offer. Hugo Viana, sporting director of Sporting Lisbon, is also on the list. Txiki Begiristain is one of Pep Guardiola’s closest friends and his departure comes amid uncertainty over the future of the Manchester City manager, whose contract expires at the end of the season. As a player, the Catalan coach played alongside Begiristain at Barcelona and since the pair hung up their boots, they have developed a strong professional relationship and friendship. The pair spend time together in Manchester and they even own a restaurant in the city centre. A departure as symbolic as that of Txiki Begiristain could thus mark the beginning of the logical end of Pep Guardiola. The latter risks thinking intensely in the coming months.

Over the past few years, Txiki Begiristain has built a reputation as one of the best sports leaders in the world. He joined Manchester City in 2012 and laid the foundations for Pep Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, alongside his former FC Barcelona colleague Ferran Soriano, who is now the club’s general manager Mancunian. It was the same Begiristain who offered Guardiola his first managerial position, promoting him to coach of FC Barcelona B then the first team in 2008, replacing Frank Rijkaard. “When no one else wanted to take risks with me, when maybe 3% of the people at Barça believed in me, it was Txiki who insisted that I be named to the first team. None of this would have been possible without him“, declared Pep. Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Erling Haaland… Begiristain and his right-hand man Omar Berrada negotiated the transfers of some of the players who will go down in history as the greatest recruits in the club’s history.