Pep Guardiola's final season at Manchester City is drawing to a close, and the club is quietly working through a shortlist for his replacement. Three names keep coming up in reports: Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, and Cesc Fabregas. Each represents a very different direction for the club.
Guardiola has confirmed this will be his last year, and the succession question has loomed over the Etihad for much of the season. City's standards have been set so impossibly high over the past seven years that whoever comes next walks into one of the most difficult jobs in football — expected to maintain a level that even elite managers struggle to match.
Xabi Alonso is the glamour pick, and it's easy to see why. His work at Bayer Leverkusen was genuinely remarkable — unbeaten Bundesliga title, deep European runs, a playing style that was clear and progressive. He's exactly the kind of appointment that would send a statement. The problem is availability. Real Madrid have been pursuing him for months, and if that door opens, it's hard to imagine him choosing City instead.
Enzo Maresca is the surprise name on the list — or at least, it was a surprise when it first emerged. He worked under Guardiola at City, managed the Under-21s, then took Leicester to the Championship title and is now at Chelsea. He understands the club's culture and philosophy, which matters enormously in a job like this. His Chelsea tenure has had rough patches, but the underlying football has been interesting.
Cesc Fabregas is the longest shot of the three. He's done well at Como but it's a very different challenge managing a top-four club in European football. City would be taking a significant leap of faith, and that doesn't feel like their style when it comes to managerial appointments.
Why This Decision Matters Beyond Just Replacing Guardiola
City are also dealing with the fallout of their Premier League charges, an ageing squad, and the likely departure of both De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva this summer. The new manager won't just be inheriting a dynasty — they'll be walking into a serious rebuild. That changes what kind of candidate makes sense. Someone who can develop younger players and reshape a squad might matter more than someone who can simply manage the current group.
Timeline
City would ideally want an announcement before the end of the season. Appointing a manager in June gives them the summer to work with a new head coach on recruitment, which is critical given how many decisions need to be made. The next few weeks should bring clarity.
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