Former China national team head coach Aleksandar Jankovic recently visited Manchester City at the invitation of the club’s sporting director Hugo Viana and manager Pep Guardiola. During the visit, Guardiola met with Jankovic and arranged for him to observe Manchester City’s training sessions, with the two engaging in in-depth conversations.
Since leaving his position with China, Jankovic has remained active in football despite being unemployed. He often travels to England for networking, and as the 2025-2026 Premier League season nears its end, he accepted Guardiola’s invitation to experience Manchester City’s academy and Etihad Stadium. During his visit, Jankovic participated in various aspects of the club’s operations, including daily training, player testing, scouting, youth team training arrangements, and tactical and physical preparations for matches within the club’s youth development system.
While Jankovic’s visit appeared to be a learning opportunity, it has sparked speculation, particularly in Serbian football circles. Sources suggest that during this deep engagement with Manchester City and his meeting with Guardiola, Jankovic has been conducting more detailed discussions with the City Football Group (CFG) about potential collaborations, including the possibility of coaching one of CFG’s affiliated clubs. CFG’s network includes clubs across continents, such as New York City FC (USA), Troyes (France), Girona (Spain), Lommel (Belgium), Melbourne City (Australia), and Shenzhen Peng City (China) in the Chinese Super League.
Jankovic has not been short of offers since becoming a free agent. Last winter, there were rumors linking him to Russian side Spartak Moscow, but he decided to delay his return. He was also on the shortlist for the Bulgarian national team’s coaching position. However, according to Serbian insiders, given his previous stints at Red Star Belgrade and Standard Liège, as well as his experience leading China in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers, Jankovic’s next move is expected to extend beyond the former Yugoslav and Eastern European regions.
When asked about these rumors, Jankovic remained tight-lipped. On the evening of May 11, he told Serbian media figure Predrag Tihi: “I will not comment on whether I will become the head coach of a club on the City Group’s list. I am currently in Manchester, visiting around. During this time, I have met many people, including Guardiola. But you know, I never talk about signings unless a contract is officially signed. I understand this is an interesting topic for the media, but I cannot reveal much now.”
He added: “I don’t want to discuss these hypothetical questions about signing with any team. Since leaving Serbian football in 2013, I have signed eight contracts—five in Belgium and three in China. I love the sport, coaching, training, and interacting with people. I have met many great individuals. If something develops in the future, I will announce it publicly.”
Despite his cautious stance, Serbian football circles widely view this visit to Manchester City as a signal that Jankovic is preparing to return to coaching. However, until everything is finalized, he remains determined to keep his plans confidential. Beyond Guardiola and Hugo Viana, Jankovic also met with Manuel Estiarte and Leenders, Guardiola’s first secretary and personal assistant, respectively.