Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will step down as the club’s manager this summer, according to an insider.
Guardiola has been at the Etihad Stadium for ten seasons, taking over as boss back in July 2016, and he has since overseen the most successful period in the club’s history with six Premier League titles, a Champions League, five League Cups, and two FA Cups, while he could yet add to his Premier League and FA Cup tally this season.
But while the Catalan boss is out of contract in 2027, it has now been suggested that he is set to step down a year early from his position, with everyone at the club already aware of the situation.
Pep Guardiola to Leave Man City
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
According to a report by Hand of Arsenal, who is a known insider in the football world, everyone within Man City is aware that the current direction of travel is for the 55-year-old to leave at the end of the season.
Talks have been held within the club about naming a stand in his honour once he departs, and while the club are still hopeful he may yet perform a U-turn, they are prepared for his exit this summer already.
It’s suggested that the reason the story hasn’t been reported more openly by major news outlets is that there is always a chance he changes his mind, which would leave their credibility in the mud, but it’s believed that this will be Guardiola’s final season in the Premier League.
Guardiola is widely considered to be one of the greatest managers of all time, winning everywhere he has been and transforming football with his possession-heavy style and attacking football which has dominated the continent for the best part of 20 years.
Man City Agree Deal for Maresca
Enzo Maresca
In further news, it’s also reported that Man City have an ‘in-depth agreement’ with Enzo Maresca to replace Guardiola this summer as their next manager.
The Italian, who Guardiola described as ‘the best manager in the world’, was part of Guardiola’s coaching staff before departing for Leicester as a head coach, where he earned them promotion to the Premier League before taking over at Chelsea, where he won the Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup with them.
However, he is now a free agent after leaving Stamford Bridge in January, and he looks set to be the man to take over the mantle of replacing Man City’s greatest ever in the dugout.
Yan Diomande’s early coach Faissal Chehade explains why Liverpool could be the perfect fit, and why his ceiling may be Ballon d’Or level.
Chehade, who worked with Diomande at Leganés, reveals on Market Madness what stood out from the very beginning: the confidence, the one-v-one ability, the training-ground moments that made coaches take notice, and the mentality behind his rise from rejection across Europe to becoming one of the most talked-about young players in world football.
He also breaks down why Leipzig was the right step, why Liverpool could give Diomande the platform to become “the main man,” and why he believes the winger has the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Chapters:
0:09 — Yan Diomande’s First Coach Reveals the Talent
2:07 — The Training Goal That Made Everyone Stop
3:36 — Why Yan Diomande Was Rejected Across Europe
4:21 — Why Leipzig Was the Perfect Move for Diomande
4:55 — Why Liverpool Could Be Yan Diomande’s Perfect Fit
8:02 — Yan Diomande’s Ballon d’Or Ceiling Explained
It looks as though a banned European nation is set for a return to FIFA competition, with reports suggesting they’ll be allowed to compete at an international tournament as soon as October.
The ban, which has run for more than four years, has kept senior, youth and women’s sides out of competitive matches, including the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, as well as the 2024 Euros.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously hinted at softening his stance, and it now appears children’s football could provide the route back into the fold, starting with a new under-15 competition this autumn.
Gianni Infantino Pushes For Russia’s Reintroduction
Infantino has been vocal about wanting Russia back involved, arguing the suspension has done more harm than good. Speaking earlier this year, he said:
“We have to, because this ban has not achieved anything, it has just created more frustration and hatred. Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.”
That stance appears to be translating into action, with reports indicating Russia and Belarus are among the nations set to feature at FIFA’s inaugural under-15 World Cup and Festival, running from October 22nd to the 31st, in Azerbaijan.
FIFA confirmed all 211 member associations have been invited, stating: “The first edition will be open to boys’ teams from all FIFA member associations; the second installment in 2027 will feature girls’ teams only. From 2028 onwards, all member associations will be invited to participate with both their boys’ and girls’ U-15 teams in two separate competitions.”
A Symbolic Tournament for Gianni Infantino
The event has taken on added significance for Infantino, who’s also pushed for Israel and Palestine to meet in a symbolic opening fixture. After an attempted handshake between officials from both nations fell flat in April, Infantino referenced the same tournament while appealing for unity:
“We have a beautiful under-15 tournament coming up, where we will invite all 211 countries to participate, all the children of the world, let’s do it for that. Let’s work together. You have my commitment, you have the support of the whole room.”
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Whether Russia’s inclusion goes further than football at junior level is something that hasn’t yet been addressed, but the door appears to be opening.
Pele was an extraordinary footballer. He made his senior debut for Brazil at just 16 years old and marked the occasion with a goal against Argentina. Only a year later, he netted twice in a World Cup final, helping Brazil secure World Cup success.
Pele spent the majority of his club career with Santos in Brazil before later joining American outfit New York Cosmos. As a result, he never featured for a European club. However, that did not stop him from following football on the continent.
Indeed, he once identified a Scottish football legend as the only British player he believed was good enough to represent the Brazil national team.
When he passed away at the age of 85 in January 2025, tributes poured in from across the football world. Among those leading the condolences was legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
“Trying to place Denis in the pantheon of all-time greats is a challenge.
“But it is made easier by Pele. He was asked if there was a British player who could get in the [great] Brazil team. He said Denis Law – which is a fantastic tribute.”
“He was a fantastic player and an incredible human being. The great thing is that he did not use his fame, he was so level-headed and down to earth, and we are talking about a guy who had all of these caps for Scotland and is called the ‘King of Old Trafford’.”
It was certainly a fitting tribute from two football icons to a truly exceptional player.
Pele Also Rated English Defender Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore 1966 World Cup
Law was not the only British football great admired by Pele. The Brazilian also had immense respect for England’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore. He said:
“It’s hard to say. You see, whoever I played against, I had the best defender marking me, but the best were Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer.”
He later added: “Bob was the best centre-back I’ve seen – so quick up here [points to his head].”
It’s unfortunate that British supporters did not get the opportunity to watch more of Pele in person. Nevertheless, when he arrived in England for the 1966 World Cup, he was already the most famous footballer on the planet, allowing local fans to witness his brilliance first-hand. Unfortunately, injuries limited his impact, and Brazil exited the competition in the first round after playing only three matches.
