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Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak revealed on Thursday that manager Pep Guardiola stood on the verge of quitting “100 times” before finally leaving the club at the end of this season.
Guardiola stepped down after a glittering decade at the Etihad Stadium, where he won six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Khaldoon explained to the club’s media channels that despite enjoying remarkable success, the emotional Spaniard constantly contemplated resigning during the low moments of his reign.
Khaldoon compared Guardiola’s frequent threats to the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, noting that the club learned not to take his declarations too seriously.
The chairman managed the situation by repeatedly convincing Guardiola to stay whenever the coach felt ready to walk away.
However, when Guardiola expressed a desire to leave this time, Khaldoon recognised it as the genuine moment to part ways and chose not to fight the decision.
The 55-year-old manager, who accumulated 20 trophies with City—including the FA Cup and League Cup in his farewell season—admitted that he no longer possessed the energy required to drive the team forward.
Critics claim Manchester City have lost their dominant force after going two years without a Premier League title and finishing seven points behind champions Arsenal this season.
Khaldoon firmly rejected this criticism, stating that the club is far from peaking and holds winning in its DNA.
Expressing strong confidence ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, he promised that planned squad additions would ensure the team returns very strong next year.
The club expects to appoint former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as Guardiola’s replacement shortly.
Maresca previously won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup with Chelsea, and he spent the 2022-23 season working as Guardiola’s assistant at City.
While Khaldoon urged fans to remain patient ahead of the imminent official announcement, he assured them that a thoughtful and structured selection process has secured the best possible manager to lead Manchester City into its next era.
