Manchester City have reportedly secured Pep Guardiola’s replacement as the club prepares to usher in a new era.

Pep Guardiola is expected to depart Manchester City this summer, closing the chapter on a remarkable 10-year tenure during which he revolutionised English football.

Following months of speculation, reports surfaced on Monday night indicating that the 55-year-old will leave at the end of the current season — one year before his existing contract expires.

Since taking charge at City in 2016, Guardiola has claimed six Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups, three FA Cups, and the Champions League, firmly establishing the club as the dominant force in English football.

Guardiola’s future has been under scrutiny throughout the season, and speculation intensified last week after leaked footage appeared to show the former Barcelona coach recording a ‘farewell video’ at the Etihad Stadium.

Although City have yet to make an official announcement regarding the Catalan manager’s departure, speculation about his potential successor has been rampant — and reports suggest the club already has his replacement lined up.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Manchester City have reached “a total verbal agreement” with Enzo Maresca to take over from Guardiola, with the former Chelsea manager set to sign an initial three-year contract.

Romano further states that the Italian has “always been considered the ideal candidate” to follow in Guardiola’s footsteps. The 46-year-old reportedly held discussions about the position last month, even as club executives at the Etihad hoped Guardiola might stay for one more season.

Maresca first joined City’s coaching setup in 2020 as manager of the club’s Elite Development Squad, guiding the Under-23 team to the Premier League 2 title in his sole season in charge before moving to Serie A side Parma.

His stint with Parma lasted just 14 matches before he returned to Manchester City, joining Guardiola’s backroom staff for the 2022/23 campaign — a season that saw the club secure a historic Treble.

In 2023, Maresca took over as manager of Leicester City following their relegation from the Premier League and led the Foxes to the Championship title in the 2023/24 season.

The former midfielder, who played for clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Juventus, and Sevilla, later took charge at Chelsea. In his only full season at Stamford Bridge, he guided the Blues to Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs and achieved Champions League qualification. However, he parted ways with the club in January amid internal tensions.

There is strong mutual admiration between Guardiola and Maresca. Earlier this season, Guardiola said, “One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca — I know him quite well, but the work he has done at Chelsea has not received enough credit. Winning the Club World Cup, the Conference League, and qualifying for the Champions League in such a tough league with a young squad — it’s exceptional.”