Pep Guardiola will leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season and become the new manager of Manchester City, according to reports in Spain.
The former Barcelona manager is in the final year of his three-year contract with the German champions but Bayern’s chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, admitted on Thursday that there have been no talks about extending his stay at the Allianz Arena.
However, Spanish radio station Cadena COPE is reporting that the in-demand Guardiola has already decided he would like to experience life in the Premier League and will replace Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium.
“Pep Guardiola will leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season and will train Manchester City next season,” read the report.
“Guardiola has decided on a change of scenery. He considers his time in Germany will end on 30 June after three seasons and, therefore, fulfil one of his wishes: to coach in England.”
The former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, recently linked with a return to his previous club Real Madrid, is said to be the favourite to take over at Bayern should Guardiola depart.
Rummenigge confirmed that the German champions will not decide the manager’s future until after they play Hannover on 19 December.
“It is not planned to push back that date,” said Rummenigge. “We have always said there will be a decision in 2015. I know that it’s late, just days before Christmas. But the talks will be held after the Hannover match, and we’ll then announce a decision.
“It always continues. There is no person in this world who can’t be replaced at some point. That’s the state of things. Players come, players go, and the same applies to coaches. They come and they go at one point.”
This has not been the first time that Guardiola has been linked with Manchester City. The presence at the club of former Barcelona colleagues, chief executive Ferran Soriano and the director of football Txiki Begiristain, has fuelled speculation that the Spaniard would also eventually arrive at the Etihad.
