It is set to be a summer of change at Manchester City – and that doesn’t just include the players.
2024/25 proved to be a very poor season for Manchester City, who went trophyless after some real struggles.
The loss of Rodri to injury early on in the campaign paved the way for City to lose games left, right and centre, and Pep Guardiola had no answers at first.
City finished their Premier League campaign in good form to seal Champions League football for next season.
But the defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final still stings.
There will be an overhaul this summer, but seemingly, there won’t just be changes to the playing squad, with it now being reported by AS that Juanma Lillo is set to leave the club.
Lillo came to City in 2020 to be Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager after the departure of Mikel Arteta.
He left the club to become the head coach of Qatar, but returned to City a year later.
He’s now going to be departing, and City fans think they know who Guardiola should be asking to be his new number two.
Man City fans want Fernandinho to become Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager with Juanma Lillo set to leave
Lillo is a popular figure at City and will be missed by many.
It is not yet clear why he is leaving exactly, but other coaches are apparently set to follow him out the door.
City fans have caught wind of the news on social media and are already talking about who should be his replacement and Guardiola’s new number two.
And many believe that former captain Fernandinho should be considered.
@segun_omoeko said: “Fernandinho there is now a job opening for you.”
“@BenjaminLind6 said: “FERNANDINHO YOU ARE THE ASSISTANT MANAGER.”
@GeronimoMorgans added: “Get my captain Fernandinho back alongside Pep. Bring my mentality monster home. The standards, the grit, the edge – we need it in the dugout. Make it happen.”
@khokkanDATTA said: “City need to get Fernandinho in. With the amount of leadership we may lose this season, he could be pivotal to bring it back. Remember, Arteta was close to players too.”
Fernandinho would be a great assistant for Guardiola
We will, of course, wait for official word from the club that Lillo is departing.
But the prospect of Fernandinho returning to the club to become Guardiola’s assistant is very interesting to consider.
The Brazilian is a City legend, having made 383 appearances for the club across a nine-year spell.
He became club captain in 2020, and helped guide City to a Premier League title that season, as well as an EFL Cup.
In total, he won 13 trophies during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders the Premier League has ever seen.
Obviously, he has a winning mentality. And he is also a leader, and someone the fans love. Indeed, former City youngster Carlos Forbs once branded Fernandinho ‘a proper leader’.
At the moment, Fernandinho – who is one of Txiki Begiristain’s best signings for City – is actually still playing football at the age of 40 back in Brazil with Athletico Paranaense.
But perhaps a call from Guardiola might just convince him to try his hand at something different.
Furthermore, Guardiola even once said in 2022 (via The Athletic) that Fernandinho has ‘everything to become a manager’. So it just makes sense.
