Pep Guardiola update: Man City boss answers "leaving" question on eve of FA Cup final amid Enzo Maresca rumours

Pep Guardiola has indicated that he could stay at Manchester City for one more season despite rumours of his impending exit.

The Citizens will look to claim their second trophy of the season on Saturday, when they travel to Wembley to take on Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

Should City win the competition, it would be Guardiola's third as manager, but it could also be his last if rumours that he will leave the Etihad are to be believed.

When asked if Saturday's FA Cup final will be his last, Guardiola humorously suggested he could remain at City for one more season, saying: "No way! I have one more year [on my] contract.

"They know, they don’t need to wait [for] when I’m leaving, they know I’ve been fun. I’ve been f****** fun!"

Guardiola also declined to comment on whether the rumoured exits of backroom staff this summer could have implications on his own future.

Pep Guardiola future: Is Manchester City boss still good enough?

One of the rare criticisms levelled at Pep Guardiola over the course of his Man City career has been that he has not taken the club through a period of transition, but that is not entirely true.

His first great City team was built on the back of a midfield featuring Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Fernandinho, but the personnel in the middle has changed throughout his tenure, with the likes of Rodri and Bernardo Silva becoming key in those areas.

Guardiola also asked centre-back John Stones to step into midfield in the 2022-23 campaign, while he has also managed to win titles against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool despite missing De Bruyne for large stretches.

The introduction of Erling Haaland into the team was seamless despite the head coach having previously shown a preference for his striker to be more involved in play, while he navigated the exit of captain Vincent Kompany well in 2019.

Though City have not been at their best this campaign, they are likely to end 2025-26 with two trophies and there is a small chance they could still win the Premier League title, and there is no reason to doubt Guardiola heading into 2026-27.

Enzo Maresca's impossible task at Manchester City: Replacing Guardiola

Enzo Maresca has been touted as the most likely replacement for Guardiola should the head coach leave, but he will need significant support from City's hierarchy as he will almost certainly fail to deliver the same level of success.

Even if the the Citizens do not win the league this season, Guardiola will still have won six of the 10 titles on offer since moving to England in 2016, and he could leave at the end of this campaign with 10 other major trophies.

Maresca does not need to replicate the Spaniard to be considered a success, but he will no doubt feel the pressure of stepping into the shoes of arguably the best manager in the history of the sport.