Guardiola willing to go to the Championship with Man. City
If the Catalan chooses not to renew, Rúben Amorim and Xabi Alonso are the favorites to succeed him
The process of renewing Pep Guardiola’s contract with Manchester City has been a recurring topic of the day in England and, this Thursday, The Athletic gives news on the subject, ensuring that the Catalan’s decision is in no way related to the possibility of Manchester City being severely punished by the Premier League , within the scope of the well-known Trial of the Century, for 115 financial infractions.
At Etihad, explains the English portal, there is «maximum confidence» that the club will be cleared and the departure of Txiki Begiristain – he will be replaced by Hugo Viana, as is known – has no direct link with a possible punishment by the English league.
The Athletic reports that Pep Guardiola has been thinking about his decision and, in recent days, the possibility of continuing has gained strength. Even if the four-time English champion is found guilty and, for example, finds himself relegated to the Championship. «If Manchester City are punished in this way, it will be even more likely that Guardiola will want to continue, either for the challenge or to not leave the club he loves in a difficult position», the article reads, which also highlights that «more important than the outcome of the process» is, for Guardiola, «understanding the hunger to win of the players and also of those above him in the hierarchy so that he can fulfil his insatiable desire to improve and win».
The Athletic reveals that the coach, who arrived at the Etihad in 2015, will be quick in his decision, since, if he chooses not to renew his contract, he wants to give Manchester City plenty of time to find a replacement, just as Jurgen Klopp did when he left Liverpool last season, for example. If that is the case, Rúben Amorim’s name is highly regarded and has already been mentioned in board meetings, as well as that of Xabi Alonso, the coach who, in 2023/24, led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title .
