Manchester City aretipped to be considering Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim as their new manager to succeed Pep Guardiola in 2025 should the celebrated Spaniard decide to leave then.
Guardiola, who has been at the helm of Manchester City since 2016, has been primarily instrumental in delivering success at an unprecedented level to the club, including bagging a historic Treble in the 2022-23 season. Yet the manager’s future is still up for speculation as the man himself has stated that “anything can happen”, leaving the door open to both either maintaining the status quo or moving on.
The club’s hierarchy is already working behind the scenes to recruit a worthy successor and have set their sights on Amorim, who has already been on the radar of top European clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool, according to The Guardian.
Apparently City’s interest in Amorim stems largely from his close relationship with Hugo Viana at Sporting, who is set to join the Etihad club as director of football after taking over the reins from Txiki Begiristain. With Viana overseeing recruitment, Amorim would be a logical choice for the managerial role, that is if Guardiola should finally decide to call it a day at the club.
Understandably, Guardiola’s future could be complicated by the looming shadow of financial sanctions as City are currently facing 115 alleged breaches related to financial misconduct, and there is a possibility of severe punishments, including expulsion from the Premier League. The uncertainty surrounding these charges adds a weighty layer of complications to Guardiola’s decision on whether to extend his contract or move on at the end of the 2024-25 season.
However, if Guardiola leaves City, it is confirmed he will be taking the England manager’s post as Thomas Tuchel has been chosen as the FA’s pick to step into the hot-seat.
Amorim’s managerial career has been defined by his tactical acumen and ability to develop young talent. His success at Sporting Lisbon, where he has secured two Portuguese league titles, makes him a favored candidate for the post.
A new era could possibly be on the horizon if Amorim indeed goes on to succeed Guardiola.