Lorenzo Buenaventura’s shock exit may signal the end for Pep Guardiola at Man City

Manchester City are facing fresh uncertainty over Pep Guardiola’s future after long-serving fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura became the latest senior figure set to leave the club this summer.

Buenaventura is expected to depart at the end of the season after more than 15 years working alongside Guardiola across Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

The 63-year-old has been one of Guardiola’s closest and most trusted staff members throughout the most successful period of his coaching career.

Goalkeeper coach Xabi Mancisidor is also preparing to leave City when his contract expires this summer.

While Mancisidor was already at the club before Guardiola arrived in 2016, Buenaventura’s planned exit has inevitably intensified speculation surrounding the manager’s own future.

The pair have worked closely together since Guardiola’s first season as Barcelona manager in 2009.

Buenaventura has played a major role behind the scenes, overseeing the physical conditioning of Guardiola’s teams and helping implement the intense demands required by his tactical approach.

His departure is being viewed by many inside football as another sign that Guardiola could also leave City at the end of the campaign.

He still has one year remaining on his current contract, but uncertainty over whether he will stay beyond this season has persisted for months.

Several departments within the club have already been preparing for the possibility that Guardiola steps away this summer.

Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is the leading candidate to replace him if a managerial change takes place.

Maresca previously worked under Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before leaving for Chelsea, and conversations regarding a potential future return reportedly began late last year.

Despite the growing speculation, Guardiola has been energised by the performances of City’s younger players in recent weeks.

City remain in the Premier League title race heading into the final games of the campaign and also face Chelsea in the FA Cup final this weekend.

The club’s recent performances have reportedly given some hope internally that Guardiola could yet decide to remain for the final year of his contract.

That would not be the first time Guardiola has reconsidered plans to leave.

However, Buenaventura’s exit still feels significant given the closeness of their relationship and the stability they have built together over more than a decade.

If Guardiola leaves this summer, it would mark the end of one of the defining managerial eras in Premier League history.

City will also bid farewell to John Stones and Bernardo Silva at the end of the season, adding to the sense that a major transition may now be approaching at the Etihad Stadium.