Man City ‘target leading contender’ amid Guardiola uncertainty; reason for England decision surfaces

According to reports, Manchester City have a ‘leading contender’ to replace Pep Guardiola if the Spaniard leaves the club at the end of this season.

Guardiola‘s long-term future is in doubt as he has entered the final year of his contract at Man City.

The former FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich has remained coy when asked about his future in recent months and it is unclear whether he will extend his deal.

The respected head coach was heavily linked with the vacant England manager’s job, but it emerged on Tuesday night that former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has ‘agreed’ to replace Gareth Southgate. 

Talks between Tuchel and the FA progressed rapidly and it is believed that he will be unveiled at some point this week.

Guardiola has regularly been referred to as the FA’s dream target, but a report from The Times revealed why they turned their attention to Tuchel.

‘The FA sounded out other candidates including Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager whose contract expires at the end of this season.

‘However, with Guardiola declining to give a firm answer on whether he would take the job, Tuchel was left firmly in the driving seat.’

READ: Pep Guardiola to manage Everton AND England? It’s an idea…

Despite this, Man City supporters cannot rest easy as Guardiola’s future is still unclear and a new report from The Guardian says the Premier League holders are ‘strongly considering’ Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim.

Amorim was heavily linked with Liverpool and West Ham in the summer after he helped Sporting Lisbon win Liga Portugal last season.

These fresh Amorim links come about a few days after it emerged that Sporting Lisbon Hugo Viana director of football will be leaving his role at the Portuguese club to replace Txiki Begiristain at Man City.

Viana is scheduled to join Man City at the start of next year, while Begiristain will depart the club at the end of this season.

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Regarding Man City’s stance on Amorim, the report from The Guardian says.

‘Manchester City are strongly considering the Sporting head coach, Rúben Amorim, as their next manager if Pep Guardiola leaves when his contract expires at the end of the season.

‘The importance of City having a succession plan is clear and the link with Amorim, regarded as one of the best young managers in Europe, is understandable. The 39-year-old is a close ally of Hugo Viana, who will take over from Txiki Begiristain as City’s director of football next summer.

‘The desire for a smooth transition means Viana, who has been at Sporting since 2018, will collaborate with Begiristain before the 60-year-old retires at the end of the season.

‘There is the prospect of an immediate recruitment challenge given that Guardiola is yet to make a decision on whether to extend his deal. He has not ruled out staying at City, who are keen not to lose the best manager in the world.

‘There have been indications that Amorim will be a leading contender if a vacancy at City arises.’