Pep Guardiola has prolonged his keep at Manchester Metropolis but it surely might be a turbulent interval with various excellent points to deal with for each supervisor and membership.
It was introduced tonight that Guardiola had signed a two-year extension to the contract that expires on the finish of the season.
The previous Barcelona boss has gained all of it with Metropolis, lifting 18 trophies, together with six Premier League crowns, however his closing chapter might be essentially the most difficult.
Right here, we take a look at what the Catalan should handle over that interval.
Mindset 🧠🍿 pic.twitter.com/xzAxZEoRdX
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) November 18, 2024
The repercussions if Metropolis are discovered responsible of economic misdemeanours
The elephant within the room.
Metropolis have been charged with 115 breaches of economic guidelines and an unbiased listening to is underway. The membership have persistently maintained their innocence and Guardiola has repeatedly stated the media mustn’t pre-judge the result.
Regardless of the verdict, Guardiola may have inquiries to reply because the de facto figurehead of the membership.
If they’re discovered to have breached rules then the autumn out might be seismic, each for the membership and the sport.
Remaining on prime of English soccer
He has achieved a lot at Metropolis, Guardiola shall be decided to exit on a excessive. Not profitable the league in his closing season, now prone to be 2025-26, can be anti-climactic.
Liverpool seem to have discovered a brand new self-assurance underneath Arne Slot, Arsenal are prone to get stronger underneath Mikel Arteta and, whereas they appear a way off in the mean time, Manchester United may get a big raise from the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
The hole between Metropolis and the remainder already appears to have shrunk, as evidenced by the actual fact they path Liverpool by 5 factors this season and are on an uncharacteristic run of 4 successive defeats.
An ageing squad
Metropolis’s success underneath Guardiola has been constructed across the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker.
All 4 at the moment are the unsuitable aspect of 30 and makes an attempt to decrease the age of the squad has produced combined outcomes. Erling Haaland is the apparent success however Matheus Nunes, Savinho and Jeremy Doku have struggled to make an affect.
De Bruyne’s contract expires on the finish of the season, as does Gundogan’s, with Silva, Walker, Ederson and John Stones’ offers up in 2026.
They’re huge holes to fill ought to Metropolis determine to maneuver them on.
Working with Hugo Viana
Guardiola’s partnership with Txiki Begiristain has been pivotal to his success in Spain and England with the Metropolis boss admitting “part of me is leaving too” when it was introduced the membership’s director of soccer will depart on the finish of the season.
It’s probably Guardiola had a say in deciding on his alternative – Sporting CP’s Hugo Viana – however their working relationship should develop rapidly if Metropolis are to stay forward of the pack.
Plans for the 2025 summer season window will already be superior however Begiristain’s departure is undoubtedly a blow.
