Guardiola linked with sensational Man City exit

Suraj Radia

6 May 2024 15:30 BST
3 min read

Pep Guardiola’s name is sensationally being discussed by Bayern Munich as they desperately seek potential candidates to replace Thomas Tuchel as manager.

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Tuchel announced in February that he would be stepping down from his role as Bayern boss at the end of the season after a disappointing league campaign, however the Bundesliga outfit have so far struggled to convince their targets over the position.

The likes of Xabi Alonso and Ralf Rangnick have rejected the opportunity to succeed Tuchel and, while coaches such as Erik ten Hag and Zinedine Zidane have also been linked, there appears to be no outstanding and realistic candidate currently available.

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The chaos has led to German outlet Kicker claiming that senior officials at Bayern are ‘dreaming’ of a return for Guardiola, having heard the Manchester City boss reaffirm his love for the club last week.

Guardiola is entering the final year of his contract with City and has given no indication that he would look to leave any earlier, however Bayern are hoping his connection to the club could help their case.

Guardiola is said to have ‘never folded his tents in Munich’ since his three-year stint in charge ended in 2016, with the Spaniard believed to still own a property in the city and continuing to visit ‘from time to time’.

© IMAGO - Pep Guardiola spent three years in charge of Bayern Munich.

Guardiola still harbours Bayern ‘failure’ regrets

While there is no suggestion of Bayern considering an approach for Guardiola, the club will undoubtedly hope that even the speculation could pave the way towards a potential reunion.

Guardiola admitted recently that he felt he had ‘failed’ at Bayern due to his inability to win the Champions League with the German giants, having been knocked out in the semi-finals in all three of his years at the club.

Speaking last week about Bayern’s struggles to appoint a new manager, Guardiola said: “I think it’s only a matter of time and they will certainly choose the right one. It’s also about how they want to play and which players they have available.

“But Bayern have the right resources and people in their ranks. They have a capable board who will find the best possible solution.”

Guardiola ended his quote by wishing Bayern good luck: “Because I love them so much. It was very nice in this city and I still have a lot of really good friends in Munich.”

With City still pushing for the Premier League title, Guardiola will not consider his future until the summer, however Bayern are hoping to name a new manager before then, with Tuchel already ruling out the prospect of remaining at the club.