Football awash with Guardiola exit talk as Man City plan for life without him

Sport InsightFootball awash with Guardiola exit talk as Man City plan for life without himPublished4 February 2026CommentsUpdated 1 minute agoImage source, Getty ImagesBySami MokbelSenior football correspondentWe will know in a matter of weeks whether Pep Guardiola's reign at Manchester City has run its course.The industry is awash with talk that the legendary Spaniard will step down in the summer, with BBC Sport hearing similar soundings, with former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca among the leading candidates to replace him.As things stand, there is no confirmation from the Etihad club over Guardiola's immediate future.Until then, there remains an element of mystery over a manager who has unarguably become a Premier League icon - and the small matter of a Premier League title race and FA Cup final to navigate.But if this does turn out to be Guardiola's last stand, City believe they are in good shape for life without their legendary manager.The mere thought of transition can be enough to strike fear into any football club, particularly one that has been as successful as City in recent years.Old habits die hard when winning becomes the norm, but sometimes key decisions are taken out of your hands.At Etihad Stadium, there are clear signs of evolution.On the pitch, a host of new players have arrived, while stalwarts Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Ederson have left. In the executive team, long-serving sporting director Txiki Begiristain has departed and handed the reins to Hugo Viana.In attracting players, City have leaned heavily on the unique selling point of working with Guardiola. They can still use his aura to their advantage - but no longer to the same extent.For example, the January transfer window heralded encouragement - not necessarily because Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi strengthened their squad, but more that the marquee acquisitions show City are maintaining their powerbase in the transfer market.BBC Sport looks at the club's evolut...