44-year-old tipped to replace Guardiola at Manchester City could now join Barcelona when Xavi leaves

Redaction Simon Brett with Billy Meyers
Published on 2024-01-29 17:30:00

According to Football Espana, there have been recent developments surrounding Roberto De Zerbi, the coach who was widely tipped to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. It is now rumored that De Zerbi could potentially join Barcelona when Xavi departs.

These reports come following Xavi’s announcement that he would be leaving Barcelona at the end of the season. There is speculation that De Zerbi could make the move from Brighton to Catalonia. This news is a shift from previous talk about De Zerbi replacing Guardiola at Manchester City, a topic that had been gaining traction around the Etihad Stadium.

The 53-year-old coach has even described the 44-year-old Guardiola as his eventual successor. However, it now seems that De Zerbi could replace Xavi instead. De Zerbi has garnered a strong reputation in England after a successful tenure at Brighton, where he won 33 of his 69 games in charge and guided the club into the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 this season.

However, the potential move to Barcelona could mean that Manchester City might miss out on a top candidate. With both Xavi and Jürgen Klopp set to leave Barcelona and Liverpool, respectively, it appears that these clubs could secure leading coaches ahead of City’s anticipated managerial vacancy in 2025 when Guardiola is expected to depart the club.

This has left Manchester City in a potentially difficult position, as they may now be short of quality options in 2025. One alternative for Guardiola’s replacement could be Xabi Alonso, who is currently managing Bayer Leverkusen and leading the Bundesliga table.

These developments highlight a potential managerial merry-go-round at the top clubs in Europe. As the football world eagerly awaits further updates on De Zerbi’s future, it remains to be seen how these potential moves will impact the Premier League and European football landscape as a whole.

Read Original article on Manchester City News