‘Guardiola could follow De Bruyne out at Man City amid Haaland issues’
Pep Guardiola has been tipped to depart Man City ahead of the 2025/26 campaign amid concerns over the state of the dressing room.
It has been an incredibly difficult campaign for those at the Etihad Stadium, with Guardiola facing plenty of pressure from Man City fans, as his team finished third in the Premier League table.
The Citizens were knocked out of the Champions League and EFL Cup at early stages before losing to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
This marked the Catalan’s first season without lifting silverware since his first at City, and the incredibly disappointing campaign has only been compounded by Kevin De Bruyne‘s Man City exit.
Multiple big names are now being tipped by Richard Keys to follow the Belgian legend out the exit doors, with concerns also being raised over Erling Haaland‘s future.
Kevin De Bruyne to spark massive changes at Man City this summer
Keys wrote on his personal blog (26 May): “I’m hearing whispers that all is not well in City’s dressing room,” as the Premier League side prepare for the summer transfer window.
“Some more big names will leave the club this summer with Kevin De Bruyne, perhaps even the coach. Something isn’t right in Haaland’s world either. Watch this space.”
Pep Guardiola unlikely to leave Man City in the dark this summer
Football Insider verdict
It is difficult to imagine the City team without Guardiola as its leader, and given the current state of the club, it is vital that the 54-year-old stays until the end of his contract.
However, Guardiola has already threatened to quit over the size of Man City’s squad heading into the summer transfer window, and he is desperate for the team to be much smaller for the next campaign.
De Bruyne could just be the first of several exits before the 2025/26 campaign kicks off, with Jack Grealish, John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic, and Ederson all expected to depart over the coming weeks.
Paul Merson has already suggested that Haaland will be deeply unhappy about De Bruyne’s departure, but the Norwegian star’s problems likely lie much deeper this season.
The 24-year-old notched 31 goals across all competitions, but many have questioned the striker’s form, having missed multiple big chances to add to his record, even giving up a penalty in the FA Cup final.
Keys could certainly be onto something in his blog, with supporters growing concerned over Guardiola’s comments in the media, but it would be massively disappointing if he were to part ways with the club now.