Pep Guardiola reportedly has Manchester City exit date in mind

Pep Guardiola recently guided Manchester City to their first UEFA Champions League title but is now thinking about life away from Etihad Stadium. 

Jamie Jackson of the Guardian and ESPN's Rob Dawson reported Monday that Guardiola plans to leave City once his contract expires after two more seasons. Guardiola put pen to paper on a new deal this past November. 

As far back as January 2022, Guardiola reportedly considered accepting new challenges away from City and the English Premier League. He was linked at that time with Major League Soccer club New York City FC, which is under the City Football Group umbrella, and with unnamed national team gigs. 

Jackson noted that Guardiola could pursue international management in a couple of years, and Dawson wrote that the 52-year-old was previously "courted by Brazil and the United States." 

Guardiola theoretically could accept a national team job before the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will feature games in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Guardiola originally took over at City ahead of the 2016-17 season and, per Jack Mumford of the club's website, has won 14 major titles during his tenure. Under Guardiola, City have earned five Premier League titles and most recently completed a three-peat in that competition. City have also hoisted the League Cup on four occasions, the FA Cup twice and the Community Shield twice. 

Since 2016, though, the Champions League remained the figurative "white whale" that eluded Guardiola throughout his time with City until this past Saturday's final versus Serie A side Inter Milan. City defeated Inter 1-0 to complete England's second top-tier treble — winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in the same season — and the country's first since Manchester United accomplished the feat in 1999. 

Interestingly, Dawson mentioned that sources say Guardiola "has already stayed at the club longer than he envisioned when he took over in 2016." However, Dawson added that sources also say City "have not given up hope that Guardiola could decide to stay longer" than for two additional campaigns.