From Spain: Manchester City offices name ‘candidate’ to replace Pep Guardiola – 48-year-old ‘precisely learning English’ | OneFootball

Officials within Manchester City’s offices have spoken about a potential candidate to replace Pep Guardiola, when the Catalan’s time at the club ultimately comes to an end.

Conversations in various quarters are beginning to intensify as Guardiola approaches the final year of his current Manchester City agreement, signed in the autumn of 2022 and a relaxed approach taken towards his now-expiring deal.

Many are beginning to wonder whether Pep Guardiola will extend by a further 12 months in order to see himself reach the decade mark in charge of Manchester City, having first joined the club in the summer of 2016.

Irrespective of what Guardiola decides, Manchester City remain alert to the situation and are continuously assessing the managerial market in order to react as quickly as possible when they get the green light from the aforementioned Catalan coach about his desire to leave.

That insistence on being proactive when it comes to the replacement of Pep Guardiola has now led them to a very familiar name from within the City Football Group, with a new report offering insight into the situation.

According to the information of journalist Jorge Picón, the ‘key’ for Manchester City is to ‘cushion the blow’ of losing a leader in Pep Guardiola, and achieve a ‘smooth transition with a reliable substitute’ following the Catalan’s exit.

The report goes on to name a ‘profile that brings together similarities’ with Pep Guardiola’s style, and ‘not only tactically’ but as well as ‘charisma, knowledge of football and in work’. It is claimed that having ‘combined these characteristics’, those within City’s offices have already named a candidate in Girona’s Míchel Sanchez.

Through his achievements with Girona in La Liga, Picón reports that Míchel has now ‘earned everyone’s respect’ within the City Football Group, and his ‘personality and work ethic’ – which has been supervised by the aforementioned board – has been convincing.

Perhaps most interestingly, it is claimed that Míchel is ‘precisely learning’ English for ‘what may happen in the future’. However, the City Group are continuing to consider other options, and know that they can offer an ‘unmatched project for the majority of coaches in the world’.

Míchel’s managerial career began with the youth set-up of Rayo Vallecano in 2012, where he spent five years working with the development squads before taking up the first-team head coach role in 2017.

In 2019, having been dismissed by Vallecano following relegation from La Liga, Míchel was appointed as manager of Huesca, and was also dismissed two years later as his side finished last in the division, having been promoted to La Liga the season prior.

His time with Girona has been hugely successful however, mounting a serious charge on the top of La Liga alongside Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, emerging a number of high-profile talents in the European game that are likely to be recruited by Europe’s biggest clubs.

Manchester City have already moved fast in that expectation, having secured the signing of Savio from ESTAC Troyes, with the Brazilian winger excelling in his loan move at Girona for the ongoing season. Yan Couto is also working under Míchel on loan from the Etihad Stadium.