Manchester City report: Pep Guardiola set to leave, with departure date set ahead of new challenge

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly set the date that he will leave the Premier League.

The Catalan became the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to complete a Treble in English football at the weekend, masterminding Manchester City's first-ever Champions League title in Istanbul against Inter Milan. This is Guardiola's second Treble, too, following his 2008/09 success in his first season of senior management at Barcelona. 

Despite suggestions that he could leave on a high and finish his City career two years earlier than contractually expected, however, it seems likely that he will remain in charge until 2025 – but now, a report from The Guardian has confirmed his end date at the Etihad Stadium. 

"Pep Guardiola is firmly minded to leave Manchester City in two years when his contract expires," the report says. "Guardiola signed a new deal in November, a decision that had been in the balance and which his inner circle were unsure would happen."

Should the Catalan finish in 2025 as expected, he will have managed City for nine years. He managed Barcelona for just four, taking a sabbatical in 2012/13 to live in New York City before managing Bayern Munich for three seasons.

The Guardian states that Guardiola may choose to manage an international team next. Two years ago, the Catalan dropped a hint that he would like to take a job in international football, though The Times suggest that Serie A could be on the cards.

Italy would be the fourth country that the 52-year-old would manage in. Guardiola had a stint as a player at Roma in the noughties. 

Should Guardiola win another Champions League title at another club, he would become the first manager to have done so at three separate clubs. Following victory in Istanbul, he joined the elite club of managers to have won titles with two different clubs, which also consists of Carlo Ancelotti (AC Milan in 2003 and 2007 and Real Madrid in 2014 and 2022), Ernst Happel (Feyenoord in 1970 and Hamburg in 1983), Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayern Munich in 2001), Jose Mourinho (Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010) and Jupp Heynckes with Real Madrid in 1998 and Bayern Munich in 2013).

Guardiola has a win percentage of 72.64 per cent at City, after winning his 300th City match in the Champions League final.

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After securing a historic Treble, Manchester City will look to build on their squad ahead of next season.

Jude Bellingham reportedly turned down the new European champions after taking inspiration from Erling Haaland's career path – though Alphonso Davies could move to the Etihad Stadium. Meanwhile, Ilkay Gundogan is a target for Arsenal.