Pep Guardiola is eager to manage in the Premier League and it is thought he would favour a club in London.
According to reports, the Bayern Munich boss has told friends that his next challenge will be in England and that would preferably be in the capital over a Manchester-based team.
The Spaniards deal at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of the season with concerns mounting that Guardiola sees his future away from Bavaria, but he could sign a new agreement seeing him through to 2017, the year Arsene Wenger’s current contract with Arsenal expires.
The former Barcelona manager was mooted over the summer to be in line to replace Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City at the end of this season. The Etihad club have links to Guardiola through Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, with the pair enjoying a hugely successful spell at the Camp Nou.
It is doubtful, though, that the reports Guardiola prioritises a move to London will deter City from attempting to acquire his services. Such is his stock in world football as one the brightest and highly regarded managers in the game, the Manchester side’s chiefs would still move for him to succeed Pellegrini.
However, were Guardiola to reject the Citizens advances in favour of London, Arsenal or Chelsea could be his destination.
Jose Mourinho is under increasing pressure in his third season at the Blues but said he will not be walking away and it would be down to the owner to sack him. Worries of working under Roman Abramovich may put Guardiola off.
The Gunners have Arsene Wenger under contract till 2017 but murmurs that Wenger will step down if he were to win the Premier League this season surfaced a couple of weeks ago. However, Wenger has yet to break a contract and Arsenal would never sack the Frenchman barring a remarkable change in the club hierarchy’s belief in their man.
Nevertheless, Wenger knows just how important replacing himself with the right man is. Guardiola suits Arsenal’s philosophy. Could Wenger, who is known to put the club before himself, step down if he became available?
Whatever happens, the likelihood of seeing Guardiola in the Premier League may be sooner rather than later.
