Guardiola 'has two more years' with Man City as successor predicted

Stuart Telford

• 22 Sept 2023 17:51 BST
• 3 min read

Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City for England in two years, with Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi the most likely to replace him, according to Guillem Balague.

Guardiola is in his eighth season with Man City, winning five Premier Leagues and a Champions League in his time at the Etihad so far.

There has been consistent speculation that he might return to first club Barcelona throughout his stay in England, but that died down when he signed a new three-year contract in November.

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Already one of the most decorated managers in the history of the game, Guardiola is still only 52 - relatively young for a man in his role - but his compatriot Belague thinks he is in the end game at City, and indeed club management.

"I feel Pep Guardiola has two more years at club level," he told Football Daily. "He's taken football to a place... if he had the energy of 2008 he may take it to the next place but I think it's about winning for him, in the next two years. This season and next.

Guardiola to England?

"Pep Guardiola I think has two more years at club level and that's it then he goes to international level - 'England,'" he whispered.

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Guardiola won an unprecedented intercontinental sextuple in the 2008/9 season as Barca manager when Lionel Messi was at the peak of his powers, making last season's continental treble far from his first.

De Zerbi is the man that would replace Guardiola at man City, according to Belague.

"I have got the impression he will. I have that impression. Because he could have gone to Spurs this summer but decided not to… but he's got great admirers at Manchester City.

"He doesn't want to go anywhere else. It's been put to him 'what about Real Madrid or Barcelona' but he wants to stay in the Premier League. But, after Brighton, City makes sense."