Pep Guardiola 'to leave Man City for England in two years' with replacement already chosen
Pep Guardiola is apparently set to leave Man City at the end of next season
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Pep Guardiola will reportedly leave Manchester City at the end of next season in order to become England manager.
And Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has apparently been chosen as his replacement, having worked wonders at the Amex Stadium since his appointment last year.
Guardiola has been in charge of City ever since 2016, when he replaced Manuel Pellegrini.
And he's made the club the best in the world in the time since, guiding his team to a historic treble last term - emulating Manchester United in the process.
Pep Guardiola is apparently set to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager in 2025
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Now, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, Guardiola is set to leave City at the end of next season for the role of England manager.
And De Zerbi would then leave Brighton and succeed him at the Etihad.
"I feel Pep Guardiola has two more years at club level," Balague told Football Daily.
"He's taken football to a place...if he had the energy of 2008 he may take it to the next place but I think it's about winning for him, in the next two years.
"This season and next."
When quizzed on De Zerbi replacing Guardiola, he added: "I have got the impression he will. I have that impression.
"Because he could have gone to Spurs this summer but decided not to, he thinks he has to be at Brighton, Brighton love him, they talk about how he's made everybody better.
"They want to keep him for as long as they can.
"But he's got great admirers at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola I think has two more years at club level and that's it then he goes to international level."
Balague then whispered 'England'.
He continued: "Then it will be an opportunity for De Zerbi to put into practice what he's learned.
"He doesn't want to go anywhere else. It's been put to him 'what about Real Madrid or Barcelona' but he wants to stay in the Premier League.
"But, after Brighton, City makes sense."
Brighton appointed De Zerbi in September last year after Graham Potter opted to replace Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.
And the 44-year-old has established himself as one of the most promising managers in the whole of world football in the time since.
Brighton have enjoyed a terrific start to the new season, winning four of their five Premier League matches.
They did, however, lose 3-2 to AEK Athens in the Europa League on Thursday night.
And De Zerbi, speaking after that game, said his side need another 'upgrade' if they're to go all the way in the competition.
"I congratulated the players afterwards," he stated.
"I can't be happy when we win at Old Trafford and sad today because we lost if the performances were both good.
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Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is being tipped to take over from Pep Guardiola at Man City
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"But if we want to make another upgrade, we have to know the situation where we concede goals.
"We knew before the game, AEK have two situations where they can score, set pieces and counter attack."
He added: "I am sad for the result and sad because we couldn't make our fans, ourselves and the club happy. But the performance was good."