Football awash with Guardiola exit talk as Man City plan for life without him

In the executive team, long-serving sporting director Txiki Begiristain has departed and handed the reins to Hugo Viana. In attracting players, City have leaned heavily on the unique selling point of working with Guardiola. They can still use his aura to their advantage - but no longer to the same extent. For example, the January transfer window heralded encouragement - not necessarily because Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi strengthened their squad, but more that the marquee acquisitions show City are maintaining their powerbase in the transfer market. BBC Sport looks at the club's evolution and why the January window has offered renewed belief at City that change and ambiguity over their manager's future will not derail their efforts to deliver success. When Guardiola signed a new two-year contract in November 2024, the perceived doomsday scenario of his departure at the end of that season was prevented. At the time, the club's greatest ever manager had just over six months left on his contract. Now he has 12 months left on his deal - but that does not tell the full story. The football industry has been rife with speculation over Guardiola's future, although City's perspective is talk of him departing this year is just that - speculation. Unsurprisingly, it would be City's preference for him to stay for as long as possible.

The 55-year-old continues to publicly insist he loves working at the club, and has shown no clear outward indication that he is preparing to leave. But sources have told BBC Sport there is tangible uncertainty over whether Guardiola will see out the final year of his contract. The expectation is a decision on whether he stays will be made towards - or after - the end of this season. And if Guardiola does stay, it is seen as improbable that he will renew his contract. It is fair, then, to deduce we are likely to be at the beginning of the end of his trophy-laden tenure in the blue half of Manchester. City have been working to compile a plan to replace Guardiola. There is a familiarity and logic to the appointment of Maresca that makes him an attractive proposition to City. First and foremost, he has impressed as a coach, leading Leicester to Premier League promotion as champions in 2024, before taking Chelsea to Champions League qualification plus the Conference League and Club World Cup titles in his only full season at Stamford Bridge. He knows City, having, firstly, worked at the club's academy for a season in 2020 before joining Guardiola's staff in June 2022. Maresca has won at City, leading the elite development squad to the Premier League 2 title in 2021.

The Italian was part of Guardiola's staff when they lifted the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 2023. The fact Maresca is represented Jorge Mendes, who has a close relationship with Viana, is a pertinent factor too. Elsewhere, Vincent Kompany looks to have all the hallmarks of a future City head coach. The Belgian remains a revered figure at the Etihad, having captained the side during part of Guardiola's trophy-laden reign. But Kompany recently signed a new contract at Bayern Munich that takes him to 2029 and seems committed to the Bundesliga outfit. Other potential contenders may include Xabi Alonso, who is out of work, and Como manager Cesc Fabregas, who is developing a reputation as one of Europe's best emerging coaches. Semenyo and Guehi entered negotiations with their eyes open. Both had the Premier League's elite to choose from in January. Semenyo was a target for Manchester United , Chelsea and Tottenham . Liverpool , too, were credited with an interest in the 26-year-old, who had a £65m release clause at Bournemouth .

He prioritised a move to City. Guehi was admired on an even greater scale. Out of contract at Crystal Palace at the end of this season, the England defender had suitors across Europe. Bayern, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid had serious interest in signing him on a free transfer at the end of the season, while Real Madrid and Barcelona were also in the running. Liverpool 's interest was well documented. Arsenal and Tottenham also tried to convince him to agree to move across London this summer. Guehi chose City. It is inconceivable that either player decided to sign a long-term contract without knowing it is likely the majority of that time will be spent under a manager who is not Guardiola. Of course, the opportunity to work for him - even if it is for six months - is one most players are not afforded. But that alone is unlikely to have been enough to compel Semenyo and Guehi to sign five-and-a-half-year deals.

City can no longer lean heavily on the idea of flourishing under Guardiola in their pitches to players. According to sources, rival club executives have used the emerging narrative over the managerial situation to persuade players to ignore advances from the Blues - as if to suggest their success will wane once Guardiola is gone. Nevertheless - certainly for Semenyo and Guehi - City's pitch remains among the most competitive around, despite the uncertainty over Guardiola. There is no escaping the fact they are one of the best payers in Europe, and it would be disingenuous to suggest finances were not a big factor in the two new signings. That said, it is understood Tottenham 's offer to Semenyo was the most lucrative he received in January. Indeed, sources close to both transfers say it was City demonstrating they gave a virtual guarantee of competing for the biggest trophies and consistent Champions League qualification that proved pivotal in the decision-making process. Their state-of-the-art infrastructure and off-field ambitions are key features of their pitch to new players, but ultimately it centres on on-field success. They impress on prospective signings the world-class squad already assembled, combined with their commitment to continue recruiting elite players. Their strategy of extending the contracts of their best talent in search of continuity and stability also features prominently in their pitch. The 10-year contract that striker Erling Haaland signed last year is a case in point.

But it is City's body of work under their Abu Dhabi ownership - even prior to Guardiola's arrival - that is their truly unique selling point for prospective signings. The trophies speak for themselves. That is not to say there are not some uncertainties. The implications of City's prolonged legal battle over the much-documented 115 charges in relation to alleged Premier League financial rule breaches weighs heavily over the Etihad. The club strongly deny any wrongdoing. The outcome of the case will resonate, and any punishment may alter the landscape of English football and City's history. While no-one knows wher