Former England striker Gary Lineker suspects that this season could be the last for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
The 2024/25 campaign will be Guardiola's ninth on the touchline at the Etihad Stadium and he has brought significant success to City, including six Premier League titles and the club's first ever Champions League trophy.
However, with Guardiola's contract coming to an end next summer, there are some who believe the 53-year-old could walk away to have a break from football or to pursue a new challenge.
With Guardiola being an intense manager, there is no surprise that there are concerns as to whether burnout could be an issue along with how he can motivate his players following a period of sustained success, but Lineker believes there are no signs of slowing down from Guardiola this season.
"He’s got incredible energy levels, and motivation has never been a problem for him, you can see how he motivates his players," Lineker told DAZN.
"He’s a footballing tactical genius. I love watching his team’s play, how he evolves the game."
When it comes to whether Guardiola will stay at City and in the Premier League, Lineker would not be surprised if he does decide to bring the curtain down on his time in East Manchester for pastures new.
"I think the thing with Pep is that he’s taken breaks before in his managerial career, so I suspect this might be his last season.
"I don’t know, I’ve not got any inside information whatsoever, but this is the last year of his contract, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he took some time out, did something different."
While there may be no immediate word on Guardiola's future at City, he will be looking to continue the team's winning start to the season on Saturday against West Ham United.
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