Joe Hart, the legendary Manchester City goalkeeper, has weighed in on one of the club's hottest topics, suggesting that Vincent Kompany is unlikely to be the man to succeed Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

With Guardiola's contract set to expire in June 2027, the Manchester City board—now led by Sporting Director Hugo Viana—is reportedly ramping up its long-term planning. The conversation about life after Guardiola has dominated recent headlines as City push through the final stretch of the 2025/26 campaign.

While the Catalan tactician remains laser-focused on overturning Arsenal's five-point lead in the Premier League and securing an FA Cup victory against Chelsea on May 16, speculation about a potential early exit has grown louder. Meanwhile, Kompany's current stint at Bayern Munich took a blow with a Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.

Kompany remains a sentimental favorite among City supporters, but Hart—who shared a dressing room with the iconic Belgian defender during the club's first two Premier League title triumphs—believes the hierarchy may look elsewhere when the time comes to replace Guardiola.

Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, the former England international opened up about Kompany's managerial development and the future of his former teammate. "I genuinely thought Vinny would be a world leader in some way. I suppose he is. He's definitely right up there. I've always admired Vincent… I wouldn't fancy fighting him, I wouldn't fancy arguing with him. There's not many ways you could beat him. And that's kind of how I size people up in my footballing world," Hart said.

Hart's comments add another layer to the ongoing debate about City's next chapter, especially as Pep Guardiola himself has previously tipped Kompany for an Etihad return, noting that "Manchester will be in his heart." For now, though, it seems the club's immediate future may take a different path.