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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will step down at the end of the current season – a development that has been in motion ever since a crucial figure at the club announced his own departure.

Pep Guardiola is set to bring an end to his decade-long tenure with Manchester City.

The Catalan coach secured his 20th trophy in ten years when he lifted his third FA Cup at Wembley Stadium over the weekend. However, reports emerged soon after that Guardiola had only two matches left as City’s boss, beginning with the clash against Bournemouth tonight.

While speculation about the 55-year-old – who is ranked No.5 on FourFourTwo’s list of the greatest managers of all time – leaving a year earlier than his contract indicated has persisted throughout the season, this decision appears to have been a long time in the making.

With Arsenal just one win away from clinching the Premier League title, this could mark the first time Guardiola goes two consecutive seasons without winning the league. Although many expected that he would not leave the Etihad Stadium without reclaiming the title, there is historical precedent for such a move.

Guardiola’s departure from Barcelona in 2012 came after losing the La Liga title to Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. That four-year stint at Camp Nou offered early clues about the direction his managerial career would later take.

His eventual split from Barcelona followed tensions with the club’s hierarchy, and a similar situation unfolded after his three-year stay at Bayern Munich – paving the way for the former Barcelona captain to reunite with his former teammate Txiki Begiristain at Manchester City.

Although some wondered whether Guardiola would remain in England for a comparable period, City had already been structured to accommodate him. Former Barcelona executives Ferran Soriano and Rodolfo Borrell played vital roles in bringing Guardiola to Manchester and revamping the club’s academy setup.

Where Guardiola had encountered friction in his previous managerial roles, Manchester City was a club built to reflect his philosophy even before his arrival. Begiristain served as his trusted ally, overseeing recruitment and helping to bring the manager’s tactical and cultural vision to life.

However, once Txiki Begiristain departed last summer, it may have only been a matter of time before Guardiola chose to follow.

The Catalan core that shaped City’s modern dominance since 2012 has largely moved on, with Hugo Viana replacing Begiristain as one of the final changes – and, according to Fabrizio Romano, Enzo Maresca’s expected arrival might complete the transition.

It’s evident that an era at the Etihad is drawing to a close: key players like Bernardo Silva and John Stones are also set to leave, two of the pillars who have defined this City side over the past decade under Guardiola.

This campaign has also marked a noticeable tactical shift for the manager, as he moved away from his traditional ball-playing goalkeeper setup, bringing in Gianluigi Donnarumma, using a clearer double-pivot, a more orthodox No.10, and traditional wide wingers once again.

Ten years is a remarkable run for any era at Manchester City – but it seems the process of change began a year before Guardiola’s impending departure.