I want Guardiola to stay at Man City - Rooney

Wayne Rooney has urged Pep Guardiola to extend his stay at Manchester City, arguing that the Catalan coach has “set a benchmark” for every Premier League manager since arriving at the Etihad in 2016. Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United and England captain praised Guardiola’s influence on English football and expressed hope that the uncertainty surrounding the 55-year-old’s future will be resolved with a new contract.

Guardiola, who has already delivered six league titles to City and is chasing a seventh this season, has yet to confirm whether he will remain beyond the current campaign. Club officials expect clarity only after the season’s final act, leaving players, fans and rivals speculating about what might follow the most successful managerial reign in the club’s history.

“Some players will want him to leave, some will want him to stay; it depends whether you are in the team or not, and that is the same for any manager,” Rooney said. “I hope he stays because he is brilliant for the Premier League and you want the best managers in the Premier League. He has set a benchmark over the past 10 years for everyone else.”

Should Guardiola opt to depart, Rooney believes City should turn to a familiar face: Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany. The former City captain, who spent 11 trophy-laden seasons at the club as a player, has impressed in Bavaria after a brief but eye-catching managerial spell at Burnley.

“If Pep does go, they have to go and get Kompany,” Rooney argued. “He knows the club, he has been successful with Bayern in a similar way. It looks like he has learned from Pep. Pep will probably choose the next manager. If he is going, he will probably be part of the process to choose the next one. I just think, in terms of Pep, he looks at himself as a bit of a teacher and he has been at the club for 10 years; he will want to leave the club in a good place.”

City’s pursuit of another championship received a fresh dose of momentum after leaders Arsenal squandered a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night. The result left Mikel Arteta’s side five points clear of second-placed City, who still have a game in hand. A victory in that outstanding fixture would tee up a seismic meeting between the two clubs at the Etihad on 18 April, a match Rooney believes could decide the destination of the title.

The rivals are also scheduled to meet in the Carabao Cup final on 22 March and could yet be drawn together in the Champions League knockout rounds, creating a potential trilogy of high-stakes encounters inside a month. “I think a big factor will be if Manchester City and Arsenal meet in the Champions League,” Rooney said. “The emotions around the League Cup final, the Champions League games—if that is the case—and then the game at the Etihad. The emotion around those games and what that will bring, whoever comes out on top in those I think will win the league.”

Despite his United allegiances, Rooney admitted he would rather see Arsenal end their 20-year wait for a Premier League crown than watch City or Liverpool triumph again. “I would prefer Arsenal to win it. I played for Manchester United for 13 years! For me, Liverpool are the ones I wouldn’t want to win it, and then it would be City. I think Arsenal will just win it.”

All episodes of The Wayne Rooney Show are available on BBC Sounds.