For Pep Guardiola, it is “written in the stars” that Vincent Kompany will one day be the manager of Manchester City.
Kompany was one of the pillars of City’s rise as a major force in English football after signing in 2008, weeks before the club became Abu Dhabi-owned. He spent 11 years there as a player – team captain for eight of them – and won four Premier League titles.
Kompany is now making a name for himself in football management, having spent two years at Anderlecht in his native Belgium before making the bold move to take over at Burnley in the off-season following relegation from the Premier League.
Burnley lead the Second Division Championship by 12 points and look set for an immediate return to the Premier League. On Wednesday, Burnley were drawn to face City in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola said on Friday that Kompany’s return would be a taste of what was to come.
“All of us, our fans, are happy that he’s back,” Guardiola said. “He will come back sooner or later – I think his destiny to become manager of Man City is already written in the stars.
” It will happen. I don’t know when, but it will happen.
Guardiola said Kompany has “all the attributes” to succeed at City and is impressed with what his former player has achieved at Burnley, who have moved away from their previous direct and pragmatic style and are now a more possession-based team under Company.
“Work ethic, knowledge of the game, lots of respect, experience,” Guardiola said. “Doing what he’s done is so hard and he’s doing really well.
“He knows (City), knows the environment, knows our fans, knows what our people need. Destiny is there. »
