Manchester City draw up three-man shortlist to replace Pep Guardiola in the event of 2023 exit

Manchester City have drawn up a three-man shortlist of options to potentially replace Pep Guardiola in 2023, should their current head coach decide to leave the club at the end of his existing contract, a new report has revealed.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager is now into his seventh season at the Etihad Stadium.

This is now officially the longest spell Pep Guardiola has had at any club during his hugely successful managerial career, and many believe the environment around the coach in east Manchester has played a crucial role in his happiness.

While there is of course a possibility that Guardiola further extends his deal at the club, the situation remains that at present, he is set to leave the club at the end of the ongoing season.

In fact, a recent report went as far as suggesting that there are those around the club's first-team who believe they are working for a manager who does not appear ready to leave the club, with whispers of a two-year contract extension.

Despite a clear confidence from within the first-team camp however, a new report has highlighted how significant individuals within the operation continue to prepare for a worst case scenario next summer.

According to the information of 90Min, a succession plan has been 'floated' by Manchester City's hierarchy if Pep Guardiola opted to leave the club at the end of his current contract.

The Catalan boss' deal expires at the end of the coming season, however there is a feeling that a decision will be made over the course of the upcoming World Cup.

90Min report that one name to have been discussed by Manchester City is former assistant coach and the current Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta.

Such is the impressive level of Arteta's achievements at the Emirates Stadium that it is claimed that the Spaniard is now seen to be a 'genuine contender' for the top job at Manchester City.

Bayern Munich’s Julian Nagelsmann and River Plate's Marcelo Gallardo are two others on Manchester City's radar, according to 90Min.

However, and unsurprisingly, it is stressed that officials at the home of the Premier League champions hope that Pep Guardiola will stay at the club beyond the end of this season, and that any succession plan will not need to be put into action for 'another few years'.

For now, Manchester City and Pep Guardiola in particular are fully-focused at the task in hand.

The Premier League giants - despite their incredible success across domestic competitions - continue to battle to win their first ever Champions League title.

City will face RB Leipzig in the last-16 of Europe's premier competition across two-legs to be played in late February and early March.