Man City show ‘concrete interest’ in Guardiola replacement as club ‘prepare’ for manager exit
Manchester City have ‘concrete interest’ in appointing Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso should Pep Guardiola leave in 2025, according to reports.
Alonso is doing a superb job at Leverkusen. He took over in October 2022 with the club 17th in the Bundesliga after eight games.
He led them to a sixth-place finish in the German top flight, qualifying for the Europa League in the process.
Alonso’s first full season at the BayArena was the club’s most successful in their history, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup with an unbeaten domestic record.
Leverkusen also reached the final of the Europa League, losing 3-0 to Italian side Atalanta in their only defeat of the campaign.
The Spaniard’s outstanding record unsurprisingly attracted plenty of interest with Liverpool and Bayern Munich – two of his clubs as a player – interested in appointing him as head coach.
Bayern were searching for a new boss following the decision to part ways with Thomas Tuchel, while the Reds were looking to replace legendary manager Jurgen Klopp, ultimately appointing Arne Slot.
Real Madrid were also linked with Alonso, and are expected to be in the picture when Carlo Ancelotti leaves, but won the Champions League and La Liga in 23/24 and were hardly going to sack the Italian.
MORE ON MAN CITY FROM F365
👉 Arsenal minds are fraying and unravelling; competing with Man City might be bad for your health
👉 Arteta better than Slot and Guardiola despite disciplinary issues which ‘end’ title push
👉 Premier League winners and losers: Slot and Hojlund shame Martin, Paqueta and ‘naive’ Arsenal
Having decided to stay at Leverkusen for at least another year, Alonso remains linked with the Madrid job, while there is speculation he could replace Guardiola at Man City in 2025.
Out of contract at the end of the season, Citizens manager Guardiola has a decision to make. Journalist David Ornstein has claimed this week that he is likely to sign a one-year extension.
Regardless, nothing is signed and City will be preparing for every possible outcome.
Man City show ‘concrete interest’ in Guardiola replacement
Should Guardiola depart, they would be interested in appointing Leverkusen head coach Alonso, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.
Plettenberg says Leverkusen are ‘preparing’ for Alonso to leave next summer and that the former Liverpool player ‘is a candidate at Real Madrid and Manchester City’.
Indeed, City are ‘preparing for the possibility’ of Guardiola leaving and are showing a ‘concrete interest’ in replacing him with his compatriot.
The German transfer expert wrote on X: ‘Bayer Leverkusen are preparing for Xabi Alonso’s departure next summer Alonso is a candidate at Real Madrid and Manchester City, with MCFC showing concrete interest and preparing for the possibility that Pep Guardiola leaves next summer, as per ‘The Athletic’.’
‘LFC out of the race at this point, as they are very happy with Arne Slot.
‘The contract of the 42y/o runs until 2026. However, Leverkusen are already looking for a successor, with Sebastian Hoeneß and Sandro Wagner being considered.’
