For years, speculation has loomed over Pep Guardiola’s future at Manchester City. His contract runs until 2027, but there is growing evidence to suggest that this could be his last season at the Etihad Stadium. Nothing has been confirmed, and Guardiola continues to deflect when pressed, but the mood around the club has shifted. Those placing an online football bet on whether he sees out his deal are increasingly being given reason to think otherwise.
Whether this is his final season or not, his record at City speaks for itself. Here is a look at what the Spaniard has built during one of the most decorated managerial tenures English football has ever seen.
Rewriting the record books
Guardiola has won 18 trophies in his nine full seasons at the Etihad Stadium. Six Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups, two FA Cups, and the Champions League make up the bulk of that haul. No manager in English football has accumulated silverware at that rate across a comparable stretch.
The 2017-18 season set the standard early. City won the league title with a record 100 points, a figure never previously reached in the English top flight and one that has not been matched since. That was the beginning of a run that would see City win four successive Premier League titles from 2019 to 2024, the first time any club had done so in the history of the English top flight.
The night City conquered Europe
For all the domestic dominance, the 2022-23 season stands apart. City became only the second English side to win a Treble consisting of the three biggest trophies available to Premier League clubs, the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup. The Champions League final in Istanbul, a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan, was the piece of silverware that had eluded Guardiola at the Etihad and completed the collection in the most emphatic fashion. City had topped the Champions League odds for much of that campaign, and they delivered on every expectation.
The players he shaped
Guardiola also leaves behind a generation of players who became better footballers under his management. Kevin De Bruyne evolved into arguably the finest midfielder of his era. Phil Foden went from academy prospect to one of the most complete players in world football. Erling Haaland, arriving in 2022, scored 36 league goals in his debut Premier League season, a record that may never be broken. Haaland has 150 goals under Guardiola in total, ahead of club legend Sergio Aguero, who scored 124 for the boss.
What comes next
With the departure of long-term ally Txiki Begiristain and the arrival of Hugo Viana as sporting director, a structural changing of the guard is already well underway at the club. A domestic double this season, with the Carabao Cup already secured, would provide a fitting conclusion. Whether or not Guardiola confirms his exit before the season ends, the legacy is already written. He took a wealthy club and made it a great one.
