‘That’s the next Man City manager’ – Guardiola endorses Prem boss to succeed him at the Etihad
Which Premier League manager Pep Guardiola wants to succeed him at Manchester City has come to light, though while it’s not Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, he cannot be excluded from the conversation, per a report.
Guardiola is widely regarded as one of best managers of his generation and throughout football history. The 52-year-old wins leagues for fun, with 11 domestic titles to his name during stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City over a 15-year span.
The Spaniard is under contract at the Etihad until 2025 and coming off the back of a historic treble, is obviously deserving of an extension.
However, whether Guardiola will extend his stay in Manchester is as yet unknown. Per the Telegraph, City would certainly like Guardiola to stay, though the decision isn’t solely up to them.
If and when the times does come for Guardiola to move on, one of the most coveted managerial roles in club football will be up for grabs.
According to the Telegraph, Guardiola himself has pointed to a Premier League boss he believes is more than capable of taking up the mantle.
Brighton’s wildly impressive Roberto De Zerbi is that man, with the report bringing to light Guardiola’s private remarks about the Italian.
Brighton secured a 1-1 draw with Man City towards the back end of last season on May 24. City had already done enough to be crowned champions by then, though the point helped Brighton secure their first ever European campaign.
Per the Telegraph, Guardiola spoke to a cluster of Brighton stars in the tunnel post-match and declared “that’s the next Man City manager.” Guardiola then nodded in the direction of De Zerbi who was out of earshot further down the tunnel.
The Telegraph stress ‘there will doubtless be others who come into contention’ when City do broach the subject of replacing Guardiola.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was named in the piece and the Spaniard knows Pep’s system well having previously served as his No 2 at the Etihad. What’s more, Arteta now has experience of managing a big club, something the report labels an ‘important factor’.
Nonetheless, City might find it difficult to prise Arteta out of the Emirates if he’s successful in putting Arsenal on equal footing with City over the coming years.
Why is Pep enamoured with De Zerbi?
Since De Zerbi took charge 13 months ago, Brighton have taken the most shots (662) and had the most efforts on target (254) of any Premier League side.
The Seagulls have also become a possession machine, with their average per match standing at 61.9 percent. Only City’s average possession per game is higher.
De Zerbi’s ability to change the flow of a match mid-game is also cited by the Telegraph as a quality Guardiola likes and City will love.
What makes De Zerbi’s exploits all the more impressive is Brighton’s squad costs a tiny fraction of City’s. What’s more, the Seagulls regularly sell their best players in the market. Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo were the latest examples in the off-season.
In other words, De Zerbi is managing a team in the Man City mould without the vast resources Guardiola has.
As such, it’s suggested the odd blip – such as the 6-1 defeat to Aston Villa on September 30 – would be a thing of the past with superior players at his disposal.
De Zerbi has another chance to impress Guardiola on Saturday when Man City host Brighton in a 3pm kick-off.
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