FOR Manchester City fans everywhere, it is the day they are all dreading.
Not the thought of a title party at the other end of the East Lancs Road, as Liverpool finally celebrate breaking their 28-year Premier League duck.
Pep Guardiola hopes Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero can fire City to Cup glory but has declined to give reassurances over his long-term futureCredit: Reuters
Etihad stars face a summer shake-up, with playmaker David Silva certainly among those set to leaveCredit: Getty Images – Getty
That prospect is bad enough but this one is far, far worse.
One they dare not even contemplate, even though they all know it is only a matter of time.
The day when Pep Guardiola announces he is leaving the Etihad.
And now, although there is no suggestion their 49-year-old manager is on the point of calling it a day, that prospect is on the horizon — and in sharper focus than ever before.
It came on the back of a simple enough question: Did he envisage any problems attracting the biggest names in football to Manchester with doubts over his own long-term future?
Next season will be the final one on Pep’s current contract.
DIE-HARDS GETTING JITTERY
And the longer it goes on with no indication of him signing another, fears grow it may be his last year at the Etihad. The question, then, was a chance for Guardiola to allay any such fears.
A chance to reassure people he has no intention of heading back to Spain.
A chance he notably failed to take.
Instead, he just gave an insistence that, as far as he sees it, City will continue to attract the best players on the planet whether he is in charge or not.
A claim that — despite the number of signings who have admitted the chance to play under one of the world’s finest ever coaches was a decisive factor — the club, not the manager, is the big draw.
No wonder the die-hards are getting increasingly jittery.
Man City players surely know the title is already a write-off this term with three months left as Liverpool are 22 points clearCredit: Getty Images – Getty
While Kevin De Bruyne has been in peak form, the future of England duo John Stones and Kyle Walker is less certainCredit: PA:Press Association
For Pep, though, it isn’t about him . . . which will do nothing to settle nerves.
He insisted: “That’s not the only reason they come, because I am here. The club is big enough and good enough to be attractive for players who want to play the way we do.
“Maybe they watch TV and see us, or we have played against them.
“They will still want to come because of economic reasons, or because just they want to play for City.
“Man City is not a bad solution for players. The club was stable and moving forward before I came here.
“Roberto Mancini won the title and also Manuel Pellegrini and the football they were playing was really good. I’m not the reason why — the club is good enough.”
Guardiola will get the chance to put his theory to the test at the end of the season, with a major overhaul on the cards.
David Silva is leaving, as is back-up keeper Claudio Bravo, while there are doubts over a host of other first-team stars.
Benjamin Mendy, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Joao Cancelo all have question marks hanging over them.
Pep admitted it will be a crucial couple of months in deciding exactly how many new faces he needs and who has done enough to remain key to his plans.
He added: “I have an idea but during the season I am not too ready to think about that.
“I don’t know how many or how much it will cost, because the market is difficult.
“There are two or three months and that can change things.
“We need players who believe they can help us because we want to maintain the levels we’ve had over the past seasons — not just for the manager who is in position.”
Man City hope to sign Lionel Messi on FREE transfer if superstar does not resolve Barcelona bust-up
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
