United, City And Chelsea On Alert As Pep Guardiola Announces He Wants Summer Return
'I have taken a decision to return to coaching but beyond that no decision has been taken' claims Spaniard
Pep Guardiola fired the starting pistol on the biggest managerial
scramble for years by revealing he is ready to return to the dug-out.
The
former Barcelona chief is half-way through a “sabbatical” year with his
family in New York after leaving the Nou Camp last summer. Sources
close to the Catalan had insisted he would decide by February what his
plans for next season were.
But last night, attending the FIFA Ballon D'Or Gala in Zurich where Lionel Messi was named World Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, Guardiola made his move ahead of schedule. Next in line? Abramovich has always wanted Guardiola as Chelsea
Getty
He said: “Yes, I would like to come back to coaching. I have
been out for a year and it’s what I would like but there is no reason to
give any more specific details.
He added: “I don’t have a team to
go to but I would like to go back to coaching. I have taken a decision
to return but beyond that no decision has been taken.”
Guardiola’s statement is the green light for Europe’s top clubs to try to persuade him to join them. Will he, won't he? Guardiola would be United's first choice if Fergie leaves
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has long had Guardiola at the
top of his personal hit-list although the Stamford Bridge hierarchy fear
they are running behind Manchester they are running behind Manchester City, where former Barcelona executives Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain are now employed.
But
Guardiola also fits the profile for Manchester United if Sir Alex
Ferguson – who called on the Catalan in New York last month – decides he
wants to stand down this summer. Paris St Germain - owned by the Qatari royal family for whom Guardiola was a paid propagandist for their 2022 World Cup bid - are also on the case as are Bayern Munich.
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