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Five superstar coaches to replace Manuel Pellegrini at Man City

| 07.04.2015
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

Manuel Pellegrini, now an outsider at 40/1 with Coral to win the Premier League, looks increasingly likely to find himself headed for an Etihad exit, should Manchester City fail to retain the title.

With City kicked out of Europe and having fallen to fourth in the league following a shock defeat by Crystal Palace, reports suggest that should the club end this campaign trophy-less, the Chilean coach could be packing his bags.

The 61-year-old former Real Madrid and Malaga manager delivered the top flight trophy and Capital One Cup in his debut season on the Sky Blues bench, but has struggled to help the Citizens make an impact in Europe.

Should City part with Pellegrini, only the cream of the coaching world would likely be on their list. So who could claim the Etihad throne?

Pep Guardiola
Two-time Champions League winner Guardiola has long been linked to taking over the City hotseat, but has so far resisted the lure of the Premier League.

With the Sky Blues new and exciting youth academy, and eagerness to impress on the continent, the Catalan coach would be a perfect fit.

The Etihad hierarchy are reportedly keen on replicating the success, structure and style of Guardiola’s former club Barcelona, so who could prove a better choice to suit their ambitions?

Having strolled to the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich, Guardiola, whose contract is set to expire in 2016, could soon have itchy feet again.

Carlo Ancelotti
With just one year to roll on his Real Madrid deal, ex-AC Milan and Chelsea boss Ancelotti is tipped to return to England sooner than expected, despite having helped the Spanish giants lift La Decima last season.

The 55-year-old has won it all in club football, including the Premier League crown, and City are said to be considering the Los Blancos coach for the post alongside Guardiola.

An affable and easy going gaffer, Ancelotti may be seen as the ideal man to keep things running smoothly at the Etihad.

Diego Simeone
Should the Citizens be beaten to the league by Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, the title chasers may want to find their own ‘Special One’.

Pragmatic and charismatic, Simeone would fit the bill for the blue half of Manchester. The current Atletico Madrid tactician, who favours a counter-attacking system and team ethic, may not suit City’s ideals of aesthetic football.

However, the Etihad outfit would be able to provide Simeone with his pick of top attacking players and limitless funds. Despite his loyalty to the Atleti cause, and having recently penned a new deal, the ability to finally compete financially with big-guns Barcelona and current city rivals Real could turn Simeone’s head.

Jurgen Klopp
Klopp has stuck by fallen Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund through all their struggles and, this season, the club have done the same for their coach and seen a turnaround in fortunes.

However, the quirky tactician may well decide to call it a day at the Westfalenstadion at the end of the campaign and pursue a new challenge. Having seen his top players queue up to depart for the bright lights of Munich each summer, Klopp could find the time has come to tear himself away and find a new project.

The innovative boss, famed for his man management, should excel at a club where he could expect to hold on to his best players. Should he plump for City, fans could perhaps expect arrivals such as Marco Reus or Mats Hummels to follow.

Ronald Koeman
Dutch coach Koeman has plenty of experience and could still feasibly guide current club Southampton to a Champions League spot.

The Saints coach has a mixed managerial record, but has made some undeniably savvy signings during his stint at St Mary’s which, with financial fair play in mind, must have caught Man City’s eye. Koeman has also crafted the south coast club’s defence into one of the meanest in England and could work wonders with Vincent Kompany and co.

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Author

Holly Thackeray

Holly is a member of the content team, and can often be found on the sports desk writing about favourite topics Serie A and East Asian footballing nations. A recent darts convert, she is also a fully-fledged member of Barney's Army and a proud Leeds-born Manchester United fan.