Pep Guardiola 'keen' on becoming England manager one day with departing Man City icon still a 'dream' target for the FA

A legendary tenure ends

Guardiola has finally called time on his historic spell with Manchester City, leaving a legacy that includes 20 major trophies and six Premier League titles. Following his emotional departure on Sunday, the tactical mastermind is expected to take a sabbatical from the dugout, mirroring the break he took after leaving Barcelona.

As Enzo Maresca prepares to step into the massive void left by the Spaniard, attention has quickly shifted to what lies ahead for Guardiola. While a return to club football will always be an option for a man of his calibre, it appears international management is increasingly becoming his preferred next destination.

England’s 'dream' candidate

Despite Thomas Tuchel recently committing his future to the Three Lions with a contract extension through to Euro 2028, Guardiola remains the name at the top of the FA's wishlist. Sources close to talkSPORT indicate that the outgoing City boss is intrigued by the possibility of leading a national team, and would be "keen" to take the England job at some stage.

Transfer insider Ben Jacobs discussed the situation on talkSPORT: "The England job, he’s always been a dream candidate. We know that Thomas Tuchel extended, but in the long run... My feeling is that Pep will one day go into international management. He doesn’t have anything else lined up. It’s unlikely he’ll take another job within the Premier League, but keep an eye on Pep just doing what Jurgen Klopp’s done, taking on strategic roles. He’s going to be a club ambassador for City Football Group and then in the more medium to long-term future, is his head turned by an international vacancy?"

Interest from Saudi Arabia

England are not the only nation hoping to lure Guardiola into the international arena. Saudi Arabia have emerged as a serious contender for his services, with the Gulf nation looking ahead to their hosting of the 2034 World Cup. While Georgios Donis is currently in charge, the ambition of the Saudi Federation could see them make a massive play for the 55-year-old.

Jacobs explained the regional interest, stating: "Saudi is the viable option. Although, naturally, UAE because of the links with Manchester City could be another possibility too. I think Saudi will make a play for Pep Guardiola with a view more to the longer-term future. They won’t be panicked if they don’t get him now. They’ll be thinking more about, is he the right manager for the 2034 World Cup?"

The long-term outlook

For now, England remain settled under Tuchel, who succeeded Gareth Southgate in early 2025. However, the FA are well aware that the opportunity to appoint Guardiola may only come around once. The door remains open for a future approach should the circumstances align after the next major tournaments.

As Jacobs concluded during his talkSPORT appearance: "The Saudi Football Federation would love to bring Pep Guardiola as manager one day, but he still remains a kind of dream target for England. Of course, Thomas Tuchel is the man they’ve gone for. He signed a new deal, he’s the manager in place at the moment for the home Euros. If it was not to work out and end more abruptly, and there’s no signs of that at this stage, then don’t be surprised if England come calling for Pep Guardiola as well."