A well-connected former chief scout has made a January transfer claim involving Arsenal, and he says that sporting director Edu Gaspar is indeed after a new striker.
Arsenal linked with new striker for 2025
The Gunners have been linked with a host of new strikers over the last few weeks, with reports suggesting that a new forward is on their agenda for either January or 2025.
£265k-per-week star could leave Arsenal with Arteta a fan of 25-year-old
The Spaniard is a real admirer.
ByEmilio Galantini Oct 8, 2024
Doubts surround Gabriel Jesus right now as the Brazilian struggles to find his best form and give on-fire star Kai Havertz good competition.
It is even believed by some media sources that Jesus could depart for Palmeiras, and while it remains to be seen if the £265,000-per-week attacker could depart, that reportedly hasn’t stopped Edu and co from looking at new options.
Bournemouth (away)
October 19
Liverpool (home)
October 27
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away)
November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
Indeed, the latest number nine who Arsenal are taking a look at is Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush. The Egypt striker has started this new season in fine form – scoring nine goals and registering six assists over just nine appearances in all competitions – and this form has led to serious interest from the Premier League.
Marmoush apparently fancies a move to Arsenal, alongside Liverpool, with Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg sharing news this week that he’s also “hesitating” on a new contract.
As well as Marmoush, Arsenal are apparently still keeping tabs on Benjamin Sesko, coming after the north Londoners failed to strike a deal for him in the summer. The likes of Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres and Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram have also been sporadically linked, but these are all just rumours.
Now, a well-connected source has shared what he’s “heard” about the prospect of Edu bringing in a new centre forward in January.
Arsenal "want to buy" new striker in January
Speaking to Football Insider, “well-connected” ex-chief scout Mick Brown, who worked at both Man United and Tottenham, says he’s “heard” that Arsenal want to buy a new striker mid-season – if the right option becomes available and despite the form of Havertz.
“Havertz has been brilliant recently,” said Brown.
“You have to give people like that a lot of credit because questions have been asked of him and a lot of people would have shied away. But he’s done a great job for them.
“You have to credit Mikel Arteta because he’s brought this out of him. I’ve heard, though, that if there was the right option out there, Arsenal still want to buy somebody in that position.
“The problem is there’s not a long list of players who are good enough to play that role and are also available to come to the Premier League. Arsenal won’t want to waste any money they have on a player they don’t need.
“They’ll be prudent, but I know they’ll be looking for areas they can improve, and I think that will be one even with Havertz playing as well as he has been.”
There are now six Indian players signed up for WBBL which starts next month
Annesha Ghosh29-Sep-2021India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has signed with Melbourne Renegades for her maiden stint at the WBBL and will be joined at the club by team-mate Harmanpreet Kaur.Harmanpreet, who missed the recent ODI series against Australia due to injury, produced the iconic unbeaten 171 in the semi-final of the 2017 World Cup and has previous played for Sydney Thunder.They take the Indian tally to six for the seventh season of the WBBL, with the recruitment of Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma (Sydney Thunder) and Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav (Sydney Sixers) announced earlier in the week. ESPNcricinfo understands at least one more Indian signing is yet to be made public by the clubs.Rodrigues, who is part of India’s squad for the ongoing multi-format tour of Australia, was the second-highest run-scorer at the Hundred in the UK, where she made 249 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 150.90. Her form at the competition helped her overcome a disappointing run with India side against England as she played only two ODIs, making 8 and 4, and was dropped for the T20Is altogether.In Australia, she didn’t feature in the ODI leg of the tour and is likely to face stiff competition from Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Punam Raut for a place in the XI of the pink-ball Test starting Thursday. She is, however, is expected to be in the reckoning for a return to the T20I side.Related
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“I’m very excited to be here now and to be part of the Renegades,” Rodrigues said. “I think for me, the main goal over here will be just to pull back and play cricket, play some good cricket and enjoy what I’m doing. I know when I do that and when I’m in that headspace, I’m able to give it my best.”The goal is whatever happens, I want to give it my 100 percent each and every time I’m on the field…I’m really looking forward to it and there’s so much that I’m going to learn, I’m sure about that.”Renegades head coach Simon Helmot was hopeful Rodrigues, a top-order batter who can bowl offspin while adding high value as a fielder, can have a big impact on the side’s campaign this season with them having finished seventh in the previous edition.”Jemimah is an immensely talented young player, who is already making her mark on the world stage at 21,” Helmot said. “She was superb recently in The Hundred over in the UK. Jemimah is a dynamic player who can score quickly and to all parts of the ground.”On the addition of Harmanpreet, he said: “Harmanpreet’s record at international level over the past decade speaks for itself. She’s a match-winner and can take the game away from the opposition in a heartbeat. We also see Harmanpreet being an important addition for our group with her experience and leadership.”Rodrigues and Harmanpreet completed Renegades’ overseas signings alongside uncapped English allrounder Eve Jones also joined the club with their whole squad now locked in for what will be Sophie Molineux’s first season as captain.Squad Sophie Molineux (capt), Makinley Blows, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Ellie Falconer, Holly Ferling, Poppy Gardner, Ella Hayward, Eve Jones, Harmanpreet Kaur, Carly Leeson, Rhiann O’Donnell, Jemimah Rodrigues, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb
Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers was heavily backed by the board during the recent summer transfer window, as the club smashed their transfer record for the Northern Irishman.
The Hoops agreed a club-record fee of £11m to sign central midfielder Arne Engels from Bundesliga side Augsburg to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Viljami Sinisalo, Kasper Schmeichel, Alex Valle, Auston Trusty, and Luke McCowan were also brought in to add depth to the squad.
The new additions have pushed some players to the fringes of the group and one dud who has struggled for game time so far this season is Luis Palma.
Luis Palma's struggles at Celtic
The Honduras international joined from Greek side Aris in the summer of 2023 and enjoyed a promising debut campaign with the Scottish giants.
Palma showed plenty of signs of promise in the 2023/24 campaign in the Scottish Premiership, with a return of seven goals and nine assists in 28 appearances.
Celtic forward Luis Palma.
Unfortunately, the 24-year-old forward has not done enough to convince Rodgers that he deserves a place in the starting XI ahead of Daizen Maeda on the left flank, and has only played 37 minutes in the league this term.
The Honduran star, who scored two goals in the Champions League last season, has shown that the potential is there for him to be a key player for the Hoops if he can recapture his previous form, though, so there may still be a future for him at Parkhead.
One player who Rodgers should brutally ditch, however, is central midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, who has played even fewer minutes than Palma.
Why Celtic should cash in on Odin Thiago Holm
It was reported that the Hoops splashed out a fee of £2.6m to sign the central midfielder from Valerenga on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023.
The 21-year-old flop has reportedly been earning £4.8k-per-week – £250k-per-season – and this means that he has earned roughly £300k in wages since his move to the club last year.
What have Celtic got in return for the £2.9m they have spent on Holm so far? He has produced one goal and one assist in 16 matches in all competitions, and has only started two league games in total – both of which came last term.
24/25 Premiership
Minutes played
Starts
Francis Turley
1
0
Mikey Johnston
16
0
Hyun-jun Yang
22
0
Odin Thiago Holm
25
0
Luis Palma
37
0
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, only Yang, Johnston, who has since left the club, and academy graduate Francis Turley, have played fewer minutes in the league this season.
Celtic have signed Engels, McCowan, and Bernardo in his position, on top of already having Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate, and Holm has not made a matchday squad in the league since Engels and McCowan arrived on deadline day.
At the age of 21, he is the same age as the Belgian starlet and one year younger than Bernardo, which does not suggest that his development is likely to see him outgrow them – as they are already ahead of him at a similar age.
Rodgers must drop Hatate for Celtic star who made a "massive difference"
The Hoops boss should finally unleash the summer signing from the start.
ByDan Emery Oct 7, 2024
Therefore, Rodgers must brutally ditch Holm from the squad and cash in on him in the January transfer window, with £2.9m already sent down the drain on him so far.
Derbyshire condemned Sussex to the wooden spoon in the LV= Insurance County Championship by claiming their first win of the season at Hove.After enforcing the follow-on with a lead of 165, Derbyshire bowled Sussex out for 187 to win by nine wickets with more than a day to spare. Sussex finished last of the 18 counties for the first time in 21 years.After being dismissed for 300 in the first innings, Sussex’s hopes of turning the game around disappeared in a three over spell after lunch when they lost three key wickets for eight runs, including skipper Tom Haines and Ben Brown, who made a third-ball duck after scoring 157 in the first innings.Haines and Ali Orr had put on 42 without alarm but Orr nibbled fatally at the second ball after lunch from Ed Moulton, who then bowled Brown when he unluckily dragged a wide long hop onto his middle stump later in the over. Haines, who was awarded his county cap at tea, took his aggregate for the season to 1176 and will finish as the country’s leading run-scorer, but on 26 he was run out by Matt Critchley’s throw from mid-wicket after being sent back by Harrison Ward.Ward was beaten by leg-spinner Critchley’s quicker ball and when Dustin Melton returned for a second spell to win lbw verdicts against Ibrahim and Oli Carter, Sussex still needed 49 runs to make Derbyshire bat again. Delray Rawlins counter-attacked with 58 off 46 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, as he made his highest score of the season before he was last out as Wayne Madsen and Anuj Dal wrapped up the tail.It left Derbyshire needing 23 to win and Matt Critchley, who was promoted up the order, hit the winning runs to reach 1,000 for the season.Earlier, Derbyshire had enforced the follow on for the first time since 2016. Brown added seven to his overnight 150 before edging Ben Aitchison to second slip. His five-hour innings of 190 balls contained 19 fours.Brown added 87 with Jack Carson for the seventh wicket and Carson finished 64 not out with ten fours. Sussex’s last three batsmen all fell for nought, although Sean Hunt hung around long enough to put on 25 with Carson to earn Sussex a third batting bonus point.It was the highest score in a first-class match when the innings contained six ducks, the previous record was the 295 made by Canterbury in 1922-23 on MCC’s tour of New Zealand.
Riding high still on their unbelievable success in the Champions League over Bayern Munich, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa had to settle for a share of the points against Manchester United last time out back in Premier League action.
Whilst Villa’s tie with Bayern was high-octane and fascinating to watch unfold, the goalless draw with Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils was a slog in contrast, as the hosts managed just one paltry shot on target.
Still, with the explosive nature of Jhon Duran at Emery’s disposal to call upon from off the substitutes bench, there are bound to be far more exciting contests to come.
Jhon Duran's form at Villa
Duran has been a man possessed for the West Midlands outfit this campaign so far, with the 20-year-old hotshot more than justifying his slender £18m fee in the here and now.
The entertaining Colombian centre-forward has registered a ridiculous six goals from ten games this campaign for Villa, with four of those coming in the Premier League despite making zero starts in the competition.
Of course, the standout pick from his glowing resume of strikes this season was against Vincent Kompany’s Bayern, as the super confident attacker amazingly caught out former World Cup winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a smart finish late on to win his side the tight clash.
Duran has now been rightly rewarded with a new bumper contract at Villa Park, which now sees the breakout attacker stay put in England until 2030 to detract any onlookers interested in him, as the 20-year-old continues to be a clutch player for his side when it matters.
Jhon Duran
Yet, although Emery and Co will be overjoyed that they managed to get their hands on Duran when they did, the Premier League side will be left wondering whether they could have snapped up a different attacker last January.
Impressively, the player in question is actually outscoring the ex-Chicago Fire man.
One that got away
The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.
Who Villa could have signed over Duran
As per various different reports, Villa were previously keen on adding French star Marcus Thuram to their ranks, with rumours circulating that he was going to relocate to England from then-employers Borussia Monchengladbach early last year.
Manchester United were also reportedly in the running to try and secure the deadly Frenchman’s services, but Thuram eventually made his way to Inter Milan in the summer instead, with the Serie A giants jubilant at the fact that they managed to pick up the lofty 6 foot 4 striker for free after his Gladbach contract had run its course.
Games played
7
7
Goals scored
7
4
Assists
3
0
Shots
2.9
1.4
Expected goals (xG)
2.60
2.06
Scoring frequency
79 mins
46 mins
Goal conversion %
35%
40%
Interestingly, Thuram boasts more goals in the top Italian division than Duran has managed this campaign so far in the Premier League, with a stunning seven strikes from just seven games for Inter, which takes his total goal tally for the Serie A titans up to 22 goals from 54 appearances.
Far outperforming his xG too, it would have been a joy to watch if both Thuram and his theoretical Colombian teammate lined up with each other at Villa Park, giving Emery’s men some crazy firepower away from leading man Ollie Watkins.
As a result of his continued excellent performances donning the number nine jersey for Inter, the 27-year-old’s transfer value now stands at a hefty £54m according to Transfermarkt.
Yet, although Thuram has even been labelled as “special” by one of his Inter teammates Benjamin Pavard at the peak of his powers, Villa will be more than content with the fact they have Duran to call upon as he strives to continue taking the English game by storm when the international break is over.
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Aston Villa have various players who are now deserving of a better contract.
Com desembarque previsto no Rio de Janeiro nesta sexta-feira, o técnico Paulo Sousa já está por dentro da estrutura do Flamengo e solicitou a primeira mudança no Ninho do Urubu, que será a instalação de um telão próximo aos campos principais do CT. A informação é do site “ge”, que publica que o equipamento já foi encomendado pelo departamento de futebol rubro-negro.
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Anunciado como técnico do Flamengo na última semana de 2021, Paulo Sousa tem trabalhado, junto a sua comissão técnica, com outros profissionais do clube, conhecendo a estrutura do CT, coletando informações do elenco e preparando a programação de treinos e atividades. Com o auxílio do telão, o treinador poderá passar orientações e fazer ajustes táticos durante os treinos.
Novidade no Ninho – e no Brasil-, a ferramenta já é usada por clubes do exterior, como nos centros de treinamentos da Roma (ITA), instalado a pedido de José Mourinho, e do Hoffenheim (ALE), a pedido deJulian Nagelsmann.
Throughout the first few weeks of the season, it appeared that Everton’s transfer business during the summer wasn’t going to be good enough to see them retain their Premier League status.
Against Crystal Palace over the weekend, the 2-1 victory could certainly inject some confidence into the side as they aim to improve over the coming weeks.
Sean Dyche saw Orel Mangala impress during the game, controlling the midfield with ease as the Toffees claimed their first three points of the campaign.
Another summer arrival, Jesper Lindstrom, didn’t have the best of games, however, and he will have to perform better over the next few fixtures.
Jesper Lindstrom’s Everton stats
The attacking midfielder joined on loan from Serie A side Napoli in the summer as Dyche looked to add some more quality to his attacking department.
He has since played six times for the club, failing to score or assist in either the Premier League or EFL Cup.
The nadir of his spell at Goodison so far came against the Eagles when the summer acquisition was alarmingly substituted off at the half-time interval.
Goals
0
Assists
0
Big chances created
1
Total shots per game
1.3
Possession lost per game
8.3
Total duels won per game
2.8
In the top flight, the Dane has succeeded with just 0.3 dribbles, created only one big chance and averaged 0.5 shots on target per game.
Of course, he is still in the embryonic stages of his spell on Merseyside, but these stats will have to improve if Dyche is to continue showing faith in the player.
There were other attacking talents on Dyche’s list throughout the window, with a current Championship starlet among them, and he would have made for a better signing than Lindstrom…
Everton missed out on Wilfried Gnonto this summer
Wilfried Gnonto attracted the interest of the Toffees throughout the summer, even going as far to make a bid for the Italian, although this was rejected by Leeds United.
They were still keen on luring him to Goodison at the start of August, but Dyche couldn’t get a move through in the end, settling for the underperforming Lindstrom instead of the £30m-rated Leeds star.
It could prove to be a costly mistake, especially when accounting for Gnonto’s impressive spell at at Elland Road to date.
One that got away
The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.
Since joining the club in 2022, he has played 80 games, scoring 15 goals and registering eight assists, despite not turning 21 until November.
In the Championship this season, the youngster has already registered three goal contributions, along with creating three big chances, averaging 0.9 key passes and succeeding with 1.4 dribbles in the second tier. He’s a livewire and accustomed to English football; he was ready to make an instant impact for Dyche’s side.
It appears as though he is doing everything possible to return the club to the top flight, which could see the market value soar of this “special” player – as he was described by former Leeds caretaker Michael Skubala.
If Leeds don’t achieve promotion this term, there is no doubt the Italian sensation will seek a move to the top flight, especially with the talent he possesses.
Have Everton missed the boat on the player? It certainly seems so.
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has a big say in the club’s recruitment drive, and the tactician is now reportedly convinced he will transform a striker’s fortunes if sporting director Edu Gaspar strikes a deal.
Strikers linked with Arsenal recently
The summer transfer window has just closed, but that hasn’t put a halt to speculation over who could join the Premier League title hopefuls in 2025.
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Arsenal spent around £100 million on five new additions before summer deadline day on August 30, with David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Neto and Raheem Sterling all sealing transfers to the Emirates Stadium.
It’s been reported that Arteta is targeting a prolific goalscorer to lead his Arsenal frontline at the turn of the year, regardless of Kai Havertz’s fine form in a makeshift centre-forward role over the last 12 months.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Leicester City (home)
September 28
Southampton (home)
October 5
Bournemouth (away)
October 19
Liverpool (home)
October 27
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Gabriel Jesus’ inconsistent fitness record and lack of proficiency have led Edu and Arteta to consider alternative options to the Brazilian. Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres are all rumoured Arsenal striker targets, as per media sources from the last seven days.
Meanwhile, some outlets have even boldly claimed that Real Madrid star Rodrygo could be offered to Arsenal in a swap deal for defender William Saliba, although the likelihood of this happening is almost nil given just how crucial the Frenchman is to Arteta.
As well as the aforementioned frontmen, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is said to be on Edu’s agenda heading into 2025. Vlahovic was a target for Arsenal back in 2022, during his days at Fiorentina, but the Old Lady eventually ended up winning the race for his signature that year.
Since the Serbian chose a move to Turin over north London, he’s scored 43 goals and racked up a further 10 assists in 107 total appearances for Juve, but uncertainty surrounds Vlahovic’s long-term future in Serie A.
The 24-year-old’s contract expires in 2026, and it is believed that talks over a new deal for Vlahovic are stalling. This has led to Arsenal re-joining the hunt for his signature, with a move away for Vlahovic very much on the cards next year.
Arteta convinced he can transform Vlahovic if Arsenal sign him
As per Spanish media sources, a fresh update has surfaced on Arsenal’s links to the £365,000-per-week forward.
It is believed that Arteta thinks he can get the very best out of Vlahovic if Arsenal sign him, and ultimately transform his fortunes under the Spaniard’s guidance.
The Gunners have their sights set on Vlahovic as a striker reinforcement, and it looks as if Arteta would almost certainly give the green light for his arrival. In terms of asking price, some reports have floated a £52 million price tag, but this may well drop by next summer if his contract situation remains the same.
Dutch forward Cody Gakpo has explained what it was like taking on Lionel Messi and Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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Article continues below
Article continues below
Argentina and Netherlands met in quarter-finals
Messi's side won 'Battle of Lusail'
Gakpo noticed difference in Messi
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Messi completed football in 2022 when he led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and lifted the famous trophy for the Albiceleste for the first time since 1986. Argentina faced Gakpo's Netherlands side in the quarter-finals of the competition and won 4-3 on penalties in a bad-tempered game that featured 18 yellow cards and saw Messi clash with Louis van Gaal and striker Wout Weghorst.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Argentina's victory propelled them into a semi-final against Croatia, which they won 3-0, and then a final with France. Messi's side prevailed on penalties against Les Bleus to be crowned world champions, and Gakpo has revealed how Messi seemed different during the tournament in Qatar.
WHAT GAKPO SAID
He told the Players' Tribune: "I’ll never forget playing Argentina. . What a game. I mean, it was like with all the crazy plot twists! You didn’t know what was going to happen from one minute to the next. Then just when you thought you knew how it would end….OK, let me explain.
"Let’s start with Messi. So, he usually starts the game by taking it easy, right? Scouts a little, sees where the spaces are, where he can run … but this time, from the start, he was on. The touch, the moves, the slalom dribbles, he pulled it straight out of the bag. You could literally how much this World Cup meant to him. And you can imagine what we were thinking…. . We knew we were in for a thriller. Then he carried the ball inside, made the killer pass, and they scored. In the second half, Messi scored the penalty, and they went up 2–0."
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WHAT NEXT
Messi is currently leading Argentina in qualifying for World Cup 2026. The defending champions currently sit top of the CONMEBOL table, five points clear of Uruguay, ahead of March fixtures against Marcelo Bielsa's side and Brazil. It's still not known if Messi will feature at the next World Cup which will be held in North America, Canada and Mexico. Messi has hinted he has no intention of retiring any time soon but will be 39 by the time the tournament rolls around.
Manchester City have had plenty of success under Pep Guardiola, with the legendary manager winning numerous trophies at the Etihad, including six Premier League titles.
However, after almost 10 years in Manchester, those behind the scenes may need to start thinking quickly about who they can bring in to replace Guardiola as Man City manager.
Premier League (6)
2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
League Cup (4)
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
FA Cup (2)
2019, 2023
Champions League (1)
2023
Club World Cup (1)
2024
UEFA Super Cup (1)
2024
Community Shield (3)
2018, 2019, 2024
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How much each Premier League gaffer earns.
ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025
Guardiola’s Man City contract is set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season as things stand, and he hasn’t hidden his desire to manage an international team in the future.
So who could Man City target to replace Guardiola? We’ve taken a look at 10 potential candidates.
Manager
Current team
Odds
Michel
Girona
4/1 fav
Xabi Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen
4/1 fav
Ruben Amorim
Sporting CP
4/1 fav
Vincent Kompany
Bayern Munich
8/1
Roberto De Zerbi
Marseille
16/1
Marco Rose
RB Leipzig
18/1
Zinedine Zidane
n/a
18/1
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal
20/1
Mauricio Pochettino
USA
20/1
Luis Enrique
Paris Saint-Germain
20/1
Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham
20/1
Eddie Howe
Newcastle
20/1
Ernesto Valverde
Athletic Club
20/1
Sebastian Hoeness
VfB Stuttgart
20/1
1 Xabi Alonso Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has been catching the eye across Europe after the work he has done with the Bundesliga side.
Alonso guided Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic campaign in 2023/24, becoming Germany’s first-ever ‘Invincible’ side. He has been linked with Man City to replace Guardiola, so it’s no surprise to see him backed as a strong candidate.
2 Ruben Amorim Sporting CP
Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim
Another manager who has been heavily linked to replace Guardiola at Man City is Ruben Amorim, who is currently with Sporting CP.
The Portuguese boss has drawn praise from Guardiola in the past, who said last year that Amorim “is one of the best at the moment”.
However, close rivals Manchester United have also been linked with Amorim to succeed Erik ten Hag, so City may need to act relatively fast over the coming months if they feel Amorim is the right man.
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2 ByStephan Georgiou Oct 28, 2024 3 Vincent Kompany Bayern Munich
With a statue outside the Etihad, a return to Man City in the dugout for former captain Vincent Kompany would be a fairytale.
The Belgian has been making strides in management after winning the Championship title with Burnley. He was unable to keep the Clarets in the Premier League before leaving for Bayern Munich in the summer, and will now be learning what it is like to lead one of Europe’s best sides.
Should he impress in Munich, City chiefs may see him as a potential candidate to come in.
4 Michel Girona
Michel Sanchez for Girona
One of the favourites to replace Guardiola at Man City is Girona boss Michel, with the La Liga side a part of the City Football Group.
The relationship between City and Girona could therefore help in a potential deal, with Michel guiding his current side to Champions League qualification last season.
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ByStephan Georgiou Jan 23, 2025 5 Luis Enrique Paris Saint-Germain
If experience is what City are after following Guardiola’s eventual departure, Luis Enrique could be a standout candidate.
The former AS Roma, Barcelona and Spain manager is currently in charge of Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the treble in his first season with the French giants.
Enrique also won numerous honours with Barcelona including the Champions League, so he could be a safe pair of hands to come in.
6 Sebastian Hoeness VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness reportedly turned down Manchester United over the summer – something which would immediately make him liked on the blue side of the city.
The 42-year-old has been working his way up in management, taking charge of RB Leipzig’s and Bayern Munich’s youth teams before getting the Hoffenheim job in 2020.
Hoeness finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga ahead of Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in his first season with Stuttgart, so he could be someone on City’s radar.
7 Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Arguably the most controversial appointment on the list would be Mikel Arteta, who was previously Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad before joining Arsenal.
In recent years, Arteta and Guardiola have gone head-to-head in the Premier League title race, with City coming out on top.
However, should Guardiola extend his stay in Manchester for a few more years and Arsenal fall away slightly, perhaps City could look at a dramatic move for Arteta.
8 Xavi Free agent (last job: Barcelona)
Xavi Hernandez is currently out of work so could be a relatively straightforward appointment for City chiefs. His first taste of management came in Qatar with Al-Sadd before spending three years in charge of Barcelona.
He won La Liga in 2022/23 before leaving the Nou Camp in 2024 and is someone who Guardiola knows well during their time with the Catalan giants.
Man City and Guardiola got the better of Simone Inzaghi and Inter in their famous Champions League final triumph in 2023, but he too could be another potential replacement at the Etihad.
Inzaghi has gained plenty of experience in the dugout with Inter and Lazio, winning nine senior honours as a manager.
Guardiola couldn’t beat Inzaghi in the Champions League back in September, though, with Man City left frustrated in a 0-0 draw with the Nerazzurri.
10 Roberto De Zerbi Marseille
Former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi was seen by some as the natural successor to Guardiola during his time in England.
However, the Italian surprisingly left the Seagulls earlier in 2024 and has since taken over at Marseille. Guardiola recently hailed De Zerbi as “one of the most influential managers in [the] last 20 years”, so if he has a say on who his successor is, perhaps De Zerbi’s name will come up in conversation.