Pep Guardiola could leave Manchester City in the next few days, Richard Keys has sensationally claimed.
And the former Sky Sports presenter insisted that Guardiola will only hang around until the summer at most – despite the Spaniard recently insisting he wants to stay beyond it.
Guardiola’s contract expires at the end of next season, but he has signed four extensions throughout his time with Man City since joining in 2016.
Chelsea sacked Enzo Maresca at the start of the month after he told the club that he had held talks with City over replacing Guardiola, though no timeframe was put on that.
Keys said: ‘I think nailed on, [Guardiola is] gone at the end of the season.
‘But, do not rule out him leaving this week. If this happens, remember where you heard it first.
‘This week. If he goes this week, [Enzo] Maresca will be in charge for the match against Wolves next weekend.
‘City will be apoplectic at that, they’ll deny it of course, but it’s on his mind to leave this week.
‘He does this a lot. I’m not saying you can read too much into this. But on this occasion perhaps you can.
‘He’s gone at the end of the year anyway. That’s a given. Gone. ‘
In his previous jobs with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Guardiola saw out the entire season before leaving.
In any case, in December, he insisted that there was no reason to worry about his future.
‘I’m happy here, I want to stay here,’ Guardiola said. ‘What can I say? The moment I feel that it is done and with the players I cannot squeeze more – or I can’t visualise how we could do better – then I will go home. Still I have the feeling.
‘Of course I want to win the Premier League and the Champions League but that is not the reason why I wake up in the morning. It’s not. It’s the process, the journey. To do it better. I’m excited because I there is a margin to improve – and that is what I like.
‘In 10 years I’ve done everything. It’s not about that. The motivation is not (trophies). The team is getting better and better and that is what I like.
‘There are things that have happened in the last month that are much, much better. It made me happy.’
City are winless in four league games, having accrued a meagre three points in that time, and they are seven points behind league leaders Arsenal.
On Saturday they lost the Manchester derby 2-0 at Old Trafford, and convincingly so.
On signing his fourth contract extension, Guardiola admitted that he came close to leaving the club but changed his mind after a disastrous run of results.
‘It depends on my feelings,’ Guardiola added. ‘My feeling right now is good, that’s why I want to continue. It’s going to change? Maybe. I don’t know. But now what I’m feeling is (that) it’s not. What I’m feeling now is with the players I want to continue as much, and as long as possible.
‘I don’t have to text (director of football) Hugo Viana. I see him every day. We take a coffee every day together.
‘I said the club has to be prepared. The club has been prepared in the past with Txiki (Begiristain) because I’m a weird guy and maybe I wake up in the morning and say I’m leaving, “ciao ciao” so they have to prepare but this is not the case (now).’
