Pep Guardiola could be about to ‘quit’ Man City – and this is why
Pep Guardiola has been tipped to sensationally quit Manchester City after 10 years with the club.
Guardiola took charge of City back in the summer of 2016 and has guided them to six Premier League titles since then.
This season, the Spaniard’s side are once again in the race to be crowned champions, sitting four points behind table-topping Arsenal as it stands.
Man City beat Liverpool 3-0 in the final game before the international break to close the gap to the Gunners, and will hope to put more pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side over the coming weeks.
Pep Guardiola is ‘coming to the end of the road’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Guardiola could be set to quit Man City at the end of the season, after a decade in charge.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that the demands of being a manager may be starting to weigh on the 54-year-old, as well as his family situation.
There were rumours that Guardiola would leave Man City last summer, but the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss stayed for a big squad rebuild.
Wyness added that the Spaniard could take a sabbatical if he does leave City, as he needs a break.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I felt even last summer that Pep was coming towards the end of the road. It would be 10 years if he left at the end of this season, and a decade’s a long time for a manager.
“I remember back at Everton, David Moyes was there for 11 years in his first stint. So it’s a long time for a manager.
“I’ve just seen Pep’s personal situation, everything with his wife. I think those sorts of things and his family have started to weigh a little bit more on him than I’ve seen before.
“He’s talked about having a sabbatical rather than moving to any other club, and I think he may well need it. 10 years at that top level is draining.
“The manager’s job is so demanding. I’ve always said CEOs work really hard, 24-7, but managers are also up there. I think Pep does need a break, and I think he could come back refreshed.”
Man City set to recall ‘highly-rated’ star
Meanwhile, Claudio Echeverri is increasingly likely to be recalled from his loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen as Man City are unhappy with his involvement.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who claims that the forward’s time at Leverkusen could be cut short.
Since his move on loan to the Bundesliga giants, the Argentina Under-20 international has started just three games across all competitions and has not completed 90 minutes.
Echeverri is highly rated by Guardiola, but there is a belief he is not yet ready for first-team football at City, so he may be loaned out to another club if he is recalled.
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