Xabi Alonso emerges as contender to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City

Manchester City could turn to former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso to succeed Pep Guardiola, according to reports.

Guardiola is contracted at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2027 but has repeatedly deflected questions about his future in recent months, with a growing body of reporting suggesting he is increasingly likely to depart a year ahead of schedule. A decision on his plans for the 2026-27 campaign is expected to be made at the end of the current season.

City officials have been conducting succession planning behind the scenes for some time , with director of football Hugo Viana and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak understood to have assembled a shortlist of potential replacements.

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Enzo Maresca has been widely reported as the leading candidate following his recent availability after leaving Chelsea , though Alonso’s name has featured prominently throughout the succession conversation.

Alonso was sacked by Real Madrid in January 2026 following a difficult spell in the Spanish capital, having previously been identified on Manchester City’s shortlist as club bosses draft a list of possible candidates to take over from Guardiola.

The Spaniard is currently without a club and is one of the most coveted managerial talents in world football following his historic unbeaten, title-winning 2023-24 Bundesliga season with Bayer Leverkusen that earned him the ticket to manage his old club, Real Madrid.

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook , Alonso is believed to be a contender to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City if he steps down from his head coach position at the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season.

The update adds further weight to previous reporting that City’s shortlist of potential successors extends beyond Maresca, with Alonso’s credentials as one of the game’s most innovative young coaches making him an attractive option for a club looking to maintain their standards at the summit of English and European football.

Guardiola himself has spoken warmly about Alonso on several occasions , having worked with the Spaniard during his time managing at Bayern Munich . The pair share a deep mutual respect and a broadly similar footballing philosophy, which would make any transition from one to the other a more natural process than many would suggest.

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City have previously been reported to have compiled a five-candidate shortlist of replacements for Guardiola – comprising Maresca, Alonso, Cesc Fabregas , Roberto De Zerbi and Andoni Iraola – with Alonso’s recent availability having only increased his stock as a candidate for one of the most coveted managerial positions in the game.

Guardiola signed a fresh two-and-a-half year deal at Manchester City in November 2024 midway through what he described as the most difficult season of his managerial career.

However, the atmosphere around the Etihad Stadium has shifted considerably in recent months, with reliable quarters of the English press citing a growing belief among Premier League circles that Guardiola could leave Manchester City at the end of this season.

City have already won the Carabao Cup this season – their first trophy in two years – and remain in contention for a domestic treble, with an FA Cup semi-final against Southampton at Wembley to come.

Guardiola has spoken about wanting to leave the club in the best possible shape whenever he does depart – and a successful end to the campaign would provide the perfect backdrop for an exit.

Should Guardiola confirm his departure in the coming weeks, Viana will move swiftly to appoint a successor who can continue the rebuild already underway at the Etihad Stadium – with Alonso now firmly in the conversation alongside Maresca as the frontrunners to take over the reins from a manager they have both worked under.