Manchester City are preparing for manager Pep Guardiola to depart the club after 10 years in charge at the Etihad Stadium.
The National understands that Guardiola will bring down the curtain on a golden decade at the club after Sunday's final Premier League game against Aston Villa, although the Catalan may even bring the announcement forward if City fail to beat Bournemouth on Tuesday.
City maintain Guardiola has a contract for next season and are hopeful he will remain as manager.
However, many inside the club are preparing for his departure, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca who had previously worked under Guardiola at City as an assistant favourite to replace him.
The former Barcelona boss is credited with transforming the game in England and elevating City's status to one of Europe's superpowers.
Since taking the helm in 2016, Guardiola has led City to 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles, the Uefa Champions League, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Fifa Club World Cup.
City have already won both England's domestic cup competitions this term, and have an outside chance of usurping Premier League leaders Arsenal, which would give Guardiola the ultimate parting gift.
However, Arsenal's 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday means anything other than victory at Bournemouth on Tuesday will see the Gunners crowned champions.
Guardiola, 55, has repeatedly been asked in his recent press conferences if he will remain at the Etihad, insisting before Saturday's FA Cup final win over Chelsea that, "I am here, I have a contract."
When asked the same at Monday's news conference ahead of the Bournemouth game, Guardiola replied tersely: "Next. So many times – I have one more year."
According to reports, City are looking for fitting ways to honour their legendary manager, with the renaming of the North Stand after the Catalan just one of the suggestions.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, I have no idea [about] that," he said. "They don't have to do anything, honestly."
Pep's golden decade
Guardiola joined City in 2016 after three years in charge at Bayern Munich, replacing Manuel Pellegrini in the City dugout.
He won no trophies in his first season at City but soon put his stamp on both City and English football with a brand of possession-based attacking football that has now become the blueprint for many a team.
City are the only team to reach 100 points in a Premier League season, doing so in 2017/18, when they also set the record for the most goals scored in a campaign, with 106.
In the 2022/23 season, City secured the treble of league, FA Cup and a first Champions League. They ended the calendar year in 2023 with five trophies that also included the Fifa Club World Cup.
Guardiola's City later became the first team to win the English league title four seasons in a row with their triumph in the 2023/24 campaign.
More City exits
If, as expected, Guardiola's departure is confirmed, he will join several senior players in departing the Etihad this summer.
Captain Bernardo Silva and defender John Stones have both already confirmed they will leave the club when their contracts expire at season's end.
