Pep: I am going to England and there are several offers
PEP GUARDIOLA i s heading to the Barclays Premier League after confirming his intention to work in England when he l eaves Bayern Munich in the summer.
Manchester City are cl ear favourites to land the 44-year-old former Barcelona boss, although it is understood that he has not yet signed a contract at the Etihad Stadium.
And City could face competition from Chelsea, Manchester United and possibly Arsenal for one of the most decorated coaches in world football.
Speaking publicly for the first time since announcing last month that he will leave Bayern after three years in charge, Guardiola said: ‘The reason I have not extended my contract is simple: I want to manage in the Premier League.
‘ I have several offers f rom England, but I haven’t committed myself yet. When I have a new club, the club will communicate that. At the moment, I can’t say anything else because nothing is fixed.
‘If I were 60 or 65 I would have stayed but I think I am too young. I need a new challenge. It was a dream, it is a dream. I am very grateful to Bayern for this huge opportunity. I’m going to give the best to the last day.’
Guardiola worked with Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of foo t ball Txiki Begiri stain at Barcelona, where he won the Champions League twice, three La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups and two Club World Cups.
Bayern are on course for a third straight Bundesliga title under the Catalan, having already won the German Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during his spell at the Allianz Arena.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is known to be an admirer of Guardiola and will be in the market for a new manager at the end of the season after ins talling Guus Hiddink as a temporary replacement for Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.
Abramovich wanted to appoint Guardiola in 2012 when Roberto di Matteo was sacked and the Russian is prepared to break the bank to get his man this time.
It is common knowledge that his wife Cristina Serra would prefer a move to London.
United have so far distanced themselves from Guardiola but that situation could change if Louis van Gaal fails to steer the club out of their recent decline.
And Arsenal could also enter the bidding should there be any change in Arsene Wenger’s position at the Emirates Stadium.
However, City remain by far Guardiola’s most likely destination and t heir manager Manuel Pellegrini admitted yesterday that he would accept being axed in the summer even if he wins a trophy.
Pellegrini is under contract until 2017 after signing a one-year extension in August, partly to ward off persistent speculation about Guardiola being lined up for the job.
City are third in the Premier League, through to the Champions League knockout phase as group winners for the first time and they face Everton tonight in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-finals.
But Pellegrini said: ‘I don’t think my position in the future is linked to titles.
‘If you are the owner of a club, you must have the option to replace the manager if they win the title or if they don’t win the title.
‘It is just about your trust in the way you work. That i s more important than if you win a title or not for the owners.
‘You can win a title, and of course the owner can be unhappy with your work and they have the right to change. But as managers, the most important thing is to win.
‘My way of thinking is that if I have the option to renew here for five years more or to win the title and be sacked, I’d prefer to win the title. For a manager, your work is to win the title, so the other doesn’t matter.’ Asked about Guardiola’ s comments that he is on his way to England, Pellegrini replied: ‘I don’t have a reaction about that or feelings on other managers. It is a question I answer two weeks ago when I said no more about that.’
Pellegrini has been in a similar position before, at Real Madrid in 2009-10, when he knew he would be leaving the Bernabeu regardless of the club’s success during his only season in charge.
Real recorded a then-club-record 96 points in La Liga after Pellegrini won 18 of his last 19 games, but they still f i nished second to Guardiola’s Barcelona and he was replaced by Mourinho.
Commenting yesterday on the decision of Madrid chief Florentino Perez to sack Rafael Benitez after j ust seven months i n charge, Pellegrini said: ‘At least I finished the year!
‘But I knew from the beginning that I wasn’t going to continue the next year.
‘There were some differences with the president. I am sorry about Rafa Benitez because he’s a manager who deserves respect.
‘But it’s not strange when you see what has happened at Real Madrid in the last five or six years.
‘City have another way to think about the role of the manager. That’s why one team changes manager every year and at City it is not the policy of the owners to change immediately when you don’t win a title.’
Pellegrini could yet make City’s decision very difficult with his team still in contention for four trophies. But he believes it would be very hard to win the Premier League while reaching the latter stages of the Champions League and FA Cup.
‘ It’s i mpossible because you would have one game postponed and there would be no midweek to play it before you finish the league,’ he said.
“If I were 60 or 65 I would stay but I require a new challenge”