Former Tottenham man names 66-year-old as ideal Pep Guardiola successor at Manchester City

Jamie O’Hara believes Manchester City should turn to Carlo Ancelotti whenever Pep Guardiola decides to call time on his Etihad reign, arguing the 66-year-old Italian is the only coach equipped to replicate the Catalan’s gravitas and silverware haul.

Speaking to 10bet, the former Tottenham midfielder dismissed mounting speculation that the current campaign could be Guardiola’s last, insisting the City boss remains committed to the long-term project he is rebuilding. “Everyone looks knackered managing a top football club,” O’Hara said. “It’s one of the hardest jobs in the world—constant press conferences, constant pressure. Pressure ages you. Trust me, it ages you.”

Despite acknowledging the toll elite management takes, O’Hara predicted Guardiola will stay beyond the summer: “I don’t think he is going to leave—I don’t think he’s going anywhere. I think Pep is in this for the long haul.”

Yet the pundit accepted succession conversations are inevitable, and when the moment arrives, he sees Ancelotti—currently in charge of an international side—as the standout candidate. “No one’s going to be Pep unless you’re going to get Ancelotti or someone like that,” he added, highlighting the Italian’s trophy-laden résumé and calm authority honed across Europe’s top clubs.

Roberto De Zerbi, recently linked with City after spells at Brighton and Marseille, received qualified praise from O’Hara—“a decent fit for any team”—but the 37-year-old was viewed as a future option rather than an immediate heir.

Behind the scenes, sporting director Hugo Viana is overseeing contingency plans after succeeding Txiki Begiristain last summer. While former City assistant Enzo Maresca is reportedly viewed internally as a continuity candidate, external debate continues to swirl around high-profile names.

Until Guardiola clarifies his intentions, the conversation will persist, but O’Hara’s verdict is clear: should the Etihad hierarchy seek a like-for-like replacement in aura and achievement, Ancelotti is the solitary benchmark.