Pep Guardiola's fiery response to Enzo Maresca rumours before Man City U-turn

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Pep Guardiola looks set to leave Manchester City – but it wasn't long ago that he was fending off questions about Enzo Maresca as his potential replacement. The departing Manchester City boss has been dogged by rumours Maresca was set to replace him at the Etihad for some months.

It emerged on Monday the speculation appeared to be true after Guardiola's appeared to be all but confirmed. The Catalan is contracted at City until the summer of 2027 but is now set to step down one year early as he celebrates a decade at City.

Former City youth coach and Pep assistant Maresca is expected to be named as the heir to the Etihad throne. And Guardiola clearly tired of the queries surrounding his future amid rumours hinting his former protege was coming for his position.

In response to a question over his future and whether he was aware of rumours hinting Maresca was due to replace him, he said in January: "You want to fire me? My salary is so high, so I have one more year."

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The tensions didn't end there, however, after the Catalan was quizzed further on whether he intended to see out the last year of his deal. And Guardiola was unequivocal in his response.

"Oh my God. I have a contract, I've said it a thousand million times," came his response. "I know you are bored of me, 10 years here. You want [me to leave]? Yeah, I'm pretty sure of that."

As it turns out, Guardiola will not see out the duration of his contract as he prepares to leave this summer. And it leaves his successor with some of the biggest shoes to fill in the history of football management.

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The 55-year-old will leave as one of the most successful coaches in European football, having ushered in an unprecedented period of success at the Etihad. However, former assistant Maresca provides a fine chance of mimicking the same systems that made his predecessor such a hit in England.

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Guardiola has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League , three FA Cups, five League Cups and a FIFA Club World Cup at City. For all the success the club started to find prior to his arrival, it was only after Guardiola joined in 2016 that the club truly crystallised into the superpower of today.

Maresca will be under huge pressure to recreate his old mentor's vision and bring City onto even greater heights. However, it's questionable whether he'll receive any aid from his former colleague as Guardiola calls time on his City tenure one year early.