Man City faces uncertain future as Guardiola holds his cards to his chest

• Pep Guardiola gives emotional comment on the departure of Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City's director of football
• Manchester City reportedly considers Xabi Alonso as Guardiola’s potential successor, while Real Madrid also shows interest in the Leverkusen manager
• City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak may play a key role in convincing Guardiola to stay for another season

Manchester City’s future hangs in the balance as Pep Guardiola talks about the upcoming departure of Txiki Begiristain, the club’s long-serving director of football. 

After 12 years with City, Begiristain’s exit has been confirmed, and Guardiola admits that his long-time colleague’s departure feels personal. Begiristain was not only integral to Guardiola’s arrival at City in 2016 but also instrumental during his time at Barcelona, where the pair worked together closely.

In Guardiola’s emotional words, 

“Part of me is leaving. A friend of mine, an architect who created one of the best teams at Barcelona and here. Personally, he will be missed a lot, he made me balanced in this job. I’m so energetic, and when we lose, I want to destroy everything. He always said, take a moment. We have to move on.”

While Begiristain’s influence will be missed, Guardiola is also facing questions about his own future. With his contract expiring at the end of the current 2024/2025 season, the Spanish manager has hinted at being “closer to leaving than staying” after securing City’s historic fourth consecutive Premier League title in May.

There has been no shortage of speculation regarding Guardiola’s next move, and many even expected him to be in the running for some international roles, especially after rumours that the England FA had contacted him. 

However, the recent appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England's national team manager has ruled out that option. Guardiola’s future may hinge on whether City can secure his loyalty for one more year.

Meanwhile, Manchester City has reportedly lined up Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso as a potential successor should Guardiola decide to leave. Alonso, a former teammate of Guardiola at Barcelona, has risen through the coaching ranks and is seen as a suitable candidate by both City and other European clubs, including Real Madrid.

Amid this uncertainty, Guardiola’s personal relationship with City’s chairman, Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, may once again come into play. Al-Mubarak has been a key figure in persuading Guardiola to extend his stay three times in the past nine years and could prove to be decisive once more.

Community Shield Preview: 3 things to note as Man United take on Man City in derby final

Previously, TheRadar reported that Manchester United would aim to achieve another significant victory over Manchester City as the FA Cup winners seek additional silverware. 

The 117th FA Community Shield would feature a rematch of May’s FA Cup final, pitting Manchester City against Manchester United in a Manchester derby with significant implications.