Jermaine Pennant has voiced his desire to see Liverpool making what’d be one of the most earth-shattering managerial appointments in football history.
The former Reds winger has been a frequently vocal critic of Arne Slot in recent weeks as last year’s Premier League champions endured a thoroughly miserable 2025/26 campaign, arguing that other head coaches have lost their jobs for ‘a lot less’ than what the Dutchman has overseen at Anfield.
While it remains to be seen whether or not FSG will keep faith with the 47-year-old, we know that Pep Guardiola is leaving Manchester City after their season-ending clash against Aston Villa on Sunday, and his next move will be compelling to witness.
While appearing on Inside Liverpool for talkSPORT, Pennant was asked if he would welcome the six-time Premier League winner (55) at Anfield, and the pundit’s answer was emphatic as he replied: “Of course, who wouldn’t? Every team on the planet would like Pep as their manager.”
The 43-year-old wasn’t perturbed by Guardiola’s decade-long association with Man City, given their rivalry with the Reds, saying: “I couldn’t care less. If you’re going come over here, play attractive football – as you do, win. Yeah, come here mate. Open arms pal, come on!”
Pennant also stated his belief that the ex-Barcelona boss would relish the opportunity to manage LFC, proclaiming: “He’d love to. Look at the Kop when you walk out. 100%. The atmosphere – he’d love to play in that.”
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Guardiola’s managerial CV speaks for itself – 41 trophies between Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City, including a dozen league titles and three Champions League triumphs (Transfermarkt).
Jurgen Klopp, his former adversary at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, spoke of how he and the 55-year-old pushed each other to ‘insane levels’, as illustrated by two epic Premier League title races in which the Reds finished second despite surpassing 90 points.
Some naysayers may point to the spectre of Man City’s 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations as diluting Guardiola’s achievements, but he achieved phenomenal success at other clubs without any such asterisks involved.
Pennant might love to see the Catalan native replacing Slot at Liverpool, but realistically the 10-year association with one of our biggest rivals is likely to preclude that from ever happening.
Whoever the next head coach of the Reds might be, and whenever that appointment is made, it’s almost impossible to envisage it being Pep Guardiola.
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