Ederson believes Manchester City have already identified Pep Guardiola’s potential replacement.
Guardiola’s future at City remains uncertain with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season.
The 53-year-old, who has guided City to six Premier League titles, is also set to lose a key ally behind the scenes with Txiki Begiristain, the club’s director of football, due to leave his position at the end of the current campaign.
City have already secured a replacement for Begiristain in Sporting CP’s Hugo Viana, and Ederson believes the club have plans in place if Guardiola does not renew his deal.
‘City is a very well-structured club, well-managed, great directors, great CEO,’ Ederson told TNT Sports Brazil.
‘I believe the club already has the next manager in mind … the day Pep decides to leave, they will try to follow the same line of work.
‘Of course it’d be a great loss [if Guardiola left]. We’re talking about the best manager in the world but I see a really well-prepared club for the post-Pep era.’
Guardiola had received an informal approach from the Football Association before its decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as England manager this week.
Speaking on Italian chat show Che Tempo Che Fa last weekend, Guardiola said on his future: ‘If I had decided something I would say so. Anything is possible.’
Guardiola also insisted that he has not decided to call time on his stint at City.
‘That’s not true,’ he said. ‘In the sense that I have to think about it.’
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