I’ve heard that Man City might lose a third player as lots of stars could leave, especially with rumors swirling about Pep Guardiola possibly leaving.
Manchester City might say goodbye to a third player this season, as rumors swirl that Pep Guardiola could step down as manager. On Monday night, news broke that Guardiola is expected to leave after 10 years at the Etihad Stadium. The club is believed to be planning to bring in Enzo Maresca, the former City U21 coach who left Chelsea in January, as his replacement.
There’s been no official word yet about Guardiola’s future, and he didn’t say much after City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday. That result means City won’t be competing for the Premier League title on the last day, with Arsenal winning it for the first time in 22 years.
If Guardiola does leave, he’ll finish his time at City with 20 trophies, including both domestic cups this season. Big changes seem to be on the horizon for the club, with long-time coaches Lorenzo Buenaventura and Xabi Mancisidor also set to leave. Players like John Stones and Bernardo Silva are expected to leave too, both ending their contracts.
According to MARCA, Atletico Madrid wants Bernardo Silva to replace Antoine Griezmann, who’s moving to Orlando City in MLS once Spain’s season wraps up. The same report says Real Madrid is eyeing City’s Rodri as they plan to rebuild their squad, possibly with Jose Mourinho returning as manager.
But the changes might not stop there. The Athletic’s Sam Lee says the club is preparing for more departures, depending on who Maresca wants on his team next season. One player likely to go is midfielder Nico Gonzalez, who hasn’t played in City’s last three matches under Guardiola. He joined from Porto last year and played a big role early on but has seen less action since January.
On the ‘Let Me Talk’ podcast, Lee shared that one player planning to leave has been told Maresca wants to keep him — though it’s unclear if that’s Tijjani Reijnders or Nico Gonzalez. “We’ll know more in the next few days,” Lee said, reminding everyone that it’s a confusing time with a lot of rumors flying around.