Pep Guardiola has confirmed his Manchester City departure, bringing the curtain down on 10 successful years at the Etihad Stadium.
On the eve of City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium – which handed Arsenal the Premier League title – reports reaching NoTM indicated Pep Guardiola had decided to end his long tenure at Manchester City.
Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension during the 2024-25 campaign and had, at various points this season, appeared to indicate that he would continue until 2027.
But the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has now verified those exit rumours, announcing on Friday that he was stepping down.
Guardiola said: “When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘Okay… Noel is here? This will be fun’.
“And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal. If it was, I would be here.
“Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City. This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks.
“From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world.
“And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too. We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.
“Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too.
“Remember, the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness.
“Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most.
“Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too.
“Players don’t forget – every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.
“So as my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me.
“Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem this is the place. I’m sorry, Tony: this is my place. Noel…I was right. It has been so f****** fun. Love you all.”
Guardiola departs as one of the most successful managers in Premier League history, having delivered six titles in just 10 seasons.
Having finished as runners-up in 2025-26 and third in 2024-25, this is the first time Guardiola has failed to win the Premier League in back-to-back campaigns – in fact, it is the first time he has endured two seasons without a title in his entire top-flight managerial career.
He will leave City having overseen 592 games in all competitions. Among his current tally, Guardiola boasts 416 victories (70.3% win rate) and has seen his team score 1,422 goals.
He has won 20 trophies with City in total – six Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and five EFL Cups, having won both domestic cups again in 2025-26, in addition to one Champions League, three Community Shields, one UEFA Super Cup and one Club World Cup.
He is the only manager to win four English top-flight titles in a row, doing so between 2020-21 and 2023-24, and the only manager to oversee a 100-point Premier League season (2017-18).
Guardiola also has the best points-per-game (2.28) and best win percentage (71%) of any manager to take charge of at least five games in Premier League history.
Alex Ferguson is the only manager to better Guardiola’s six Premier League titles, winning 13, while the Manchester United legend is one of only two managers to boast more Premier League wins with a single club than Guardiola.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have been strongly linked with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who led the Blues to the Conference League and Club World Cup trophies in 2024-25, having previously worked under Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
Source: FotMob
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