Richard Keys Claims Pep Guardiola Will Leave Man City and Names Replacement

Former Sky Sports and current beIN Sports presenter Richard Keys has suggested that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City after this season, as well as claiming that there is “only one replacement”.

Guardiola has guided Man City to 18 trophies - six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, three Community Shields, one Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup - since joining in July 2016.

Despite a dip in form over the past season or so, there’s no doubt that Guardiola’s legacy at the Etihad is more than assured.

His City side are currently in a transitional stage with Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Ederson among the notable departees following the trophyless 2024/25 campaign during which City finished third in the league and lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace.

Nonetheless, Guardiola’s side will be looking to return to winning ways as they compete on four fronts this term.

After six matches, City sit seventh in the Premier League, having won three, drawn one and lost two of their league fixtures ahead of their weekend trip to Brentford.

But, according to beIN Sports host Keys, the club could soon have a different manager.

Speaking alongside fellow host Andy Gray and former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly, Keys claimed that Guardiola could be in his last season as City boss.

“I think Guardiola’s into his last season, I’ve said for some time, I think he looks a little tired… a little disinterested at times, I think he’s nearly out of fuel,” Keys said following City’s 2-2 draw with Monaco in the Champions League.

Keys then claimed that there was only “one replacement” who could fill the potential vacancy before mentioning Bayern head coach and former City captain Vincent Kompany.

Kompany previously coached Burnley in the Premier League, having led them to Championship promotion in the 2022/23 campaign, but could not stop the Lancashire outfit from getting relegated from English football’s top-flight during the 2023/24 campaign.

However, the Belgian was adamant that he wanted his side to play attractive possession-based football, which in turn impressed Bayern, who appointed Kompany as head coach in July 2024.

The 39-year-old guided Bayern to the Bundesliga title in his first season in charge and will, no doubt, have his eyes on the Champions League this term.

Whether he would leave Bayern for City is still unclear, but the former Sky Blues captain knows the Premier League club more than most, having made 360 appearances for them over eleven years.

During his time with City, he won ten trophies - four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and four League Cups – before finishing his playing career with Anderlecht in 2019/20.