Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City successor 'has to be himself, unique'

Pep Guardiola has urged his successor at Manchester City to “be himself” as he steps down after a glorious 10 years in charge.

Guardiola will leave his post after Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa, ending one of the most successful managerial reigns in English football history.

His former assistant Enzo Maresca, who was sacked as Chelsea manager in January, is the favourite to take over.

After winning 20 trophies at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola will be a tough act to follow but the Spaniard insisted his replacement should not attempt to imitate him.

Guardiola said: “The manager has to be himself, unique, and the club will be there to support him unconditionally, like they have done to me.

“It doesn’t work to copy and paste in this kind of job. Be natural, yourself. Everyone is everyone, and it has to be like that.

“That’s why everything is going to be good. I’m pretty sure with these players, the new manager, with the staff and everyone there, will do the job that is required to continue to be there.”

Guardiola leaves the club with the Premier League’s investigation into more than 100 alleged breaches of financial regulations by City still unresolved.

It has been more than three years since the charges were brought against the club, who deny all wrongdoing.

Guardiola has consistently backed the club throughout the process and reiterated that support when asked why he had remained so staunch in his defence.

He said: “I trust them because I spoke with them and I trust how they behave. There will be a resolution.

“Nobody of the staff, backroom staff, the players and manager was here. It was a long, long time ago.

“I trust them. I (asked) before what happened and they said no.”

Guardiola intends to take an extended break from the game but when asked if he could ever return to City, he did not dismiss the possibility.

He said: “Why do you ask me that question? For a while I will not be manager, so that is all I think of, otherwise I would still be here. I deserve, honestly, to take a break.”

Guardiola has previously spoken about international management and, when quizzed on whether he would ever consider taking the England job, again did not rule it out.

He said: “I don’t have any absolute plan about my future. I stop to rest and go to recover the time that I missed with my kids.

“They are grown and there are many things I’ve not done I want to do.

“So I don’t think for one second about anything related to football for the next years. I need to rest, I need to reflect.

“After, we’ll see what happens. I don’t have a plan, it’s just to rest and do a lot of things I want to do I didn’t do in the past – stupid things.”

Asked what he meant by “stupid things”, he said: “Nobody cares.”

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