England job, Man City return? Pep Guardiola leaves door open on management plans

Pep Guardiola has left the door open to potentially returning to Manchester City in the future or leading the England national team

Pep Guardiola refused to rule out one day returning to Manchester City or potentially taking the England national team job, as he spoke following confirmation he will leave the Etihad this summer.

Guardiola has called time on his incredible decade at City and will take charge of the Blues for the final time when Aston Villa visit for Sunday’s Premier League finale.

City are set to appoint Enzo Maresca as Guardiola’s successor with the Catalan set to take an extended break from the game. But, at 55, this is not yet a retirement and while he will now conduct some work as an ambassador within the City Football Group, a return to management remains a possibility in the future.

Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter

Guardiola has often spoken about his respect for English football and didn’t close the door on the national job should the opportunity arise down the line.

“I don’t have any absolute plan about my future,” said Guardiola. “I start to rest and go to recover my time that I missed with my kids, they are growing and many things I’ve not done I want to do. So, I don’t think for one second thinking about anything football related for the next time, for the next years. I don’t think about it.

“I need to rest, I need to reflect, I need to see what happened in my 17, 18 years (in management.) And after we see what happens. I don’t have a plan, just to rest and do a lot of things I want to do that I didn’t do in the past, stupid things that I want to do.”

The Blues boss has said plenty of times in the past that he would not return to lead Barcelona, where he was a player and manager with huge success, but he stopped short of making the same guarantee with City.

“Why you ask me that question?” he said with a smile. “For a while, I will not be manager. That is the only thing. Otherwise I would be here, still here. I deserve, honestly, to take a break”