Jamie Carragher has suggested Pep Guardiola could be heading for the exit at Manchester City, claiming this season may prove to be the Spaniard’s “last dance” in charge at the Etihad.
City have endured an uncharacteristically difficult campaign by their own standards, with results and consistency not matching the levels Guardiola has set since arriving in 2016. Carragher believes the strain of trying to reset the squad while keeping City at the top could be reaching a natural end point.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher said: “It feels like Pep Guardiola’s last dance.”
Carragher added that the challenges City are facing this season look like the kind of moment that often signals a major change. He argued that when a manager has been at a club as long as Guardiola, and built a team that has dominated English football, there comes a time when the cycle has to refresh — and that can sometimes mean the manager moves on too.
Guardiola signed a contract extension with Manchester City in November 2024, keeping him at the club until 2027, but Carragher’s point was that the current season has shown how quickly things can shift, even for a side that has been the benchmark in the Premier League for years.
City have already had to cope without key players at different points, while opponents have found more ways to disrupt Guardiola’s side. Carragher’s view is that maintaining the same hunger and intensity year after year becomes harder, and that the signs this season suggest a turning point could be approaching.
For now, Guardiola remains focused on trying to steer City back to their usual level, with the club still fighting on multiple fronts. But Carragher’s comments have added a new layer to the discussion around City’s season — and whether it could be remembered as the final chapter of Guardiola’s time in Manchester.
