Pep Guardiola's former club 'dreaming of re-hiring Manchester City boss'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 09 May 2024

Pep Guardiola's former club 'dreaming of re-hiring Man City boss'

Bayern Munich are reportedly dreaming of re-hiring former boss and current Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola, whose Etihad deal expires in 2025.

One of Pep Guardiola's former clubs are reportedly dreaming of re-hiring the Manchester City boss should he soon call time on his Premier League career.

The 53-year-old's contract situation has led to some uncertainty surrounding his future at the Etihad, as his terms only run until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

Guardiola signed his most recent renewal towards the end of 2022 and has hinted in the past few months that he could sign another extension, but nothing has been agreed yet.

The former Barcelona manager was linked with a sensational return to Camp Nou earlier this year when Xavi announced his intentions to step down, although the latter has now made a U-turn on his future.

However, another one of Guardiola's erstwhile sides - Bayern Munich - are on the hunt for a new leader, as there are no indications that Thomas Tuchel will also reverse his decision to move on this summer.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola before the match on April 20, 2024 © Reuters

Bayern 'not giving up hope of Guardiola return'

According to German outlet Kicker, the former Bundesliga champions are keeping their fingers crossed that Guardiola could be lured back to the Allianz Arena one day, as he still owns an apartment in Munich.

The report claims that the treble-winning coach still visits the German city from time to time after his successful stint in Munich from 2013 to 2016, where he won 124 of his 161 matches in charge.

Bayern won three straight Bundesliga titles and a Club World Cup crown with Guardiola in the dugout, but he failed to lead FC Hollywood to Champions League glory, which he claimed made his time at the club a failure.

After masterminding Barcelona's triumphs in the competition in 2009 and 2011, Guardiola had to wait another 12 years to conquer Europe again, overseeing Man City's 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the 2022-23 showpiece.

However, City's dreams of another sensational treble were crushed at the hands of Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, although they are still on course for Premier League and FA Cup glory.

Bayern frustrated in search for new head coach

Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on April 9, 2024 © Reuters

Bayern are also mourning their Champions League hopes in the wake of Wednesday's astonishing 2-1 semi-final second-leg defeat to Real Madrid, who will meet Borussia Dortmund in the Wembley showpiece.

Joselu's late brace means that the Bavarians will end the season trophyless before Tuchel bids farewell, but their search for the German's successor has hit roadblock after roadblock so far.

Firstly, Xabi Alonso rejected the chance to coach Bayern and other European admirers by electing to stay with Bayer Leverkusen, while Ralf Rangnick also snubbed the Allianz Arena job in favour of staying loyal to Austria.

Ex-Real boss Zinedine Zidane has publicly ruled himself out of the running too, while Julen Lopetegui has supposedly become the latest name to turn down the gig as he prepares to replace David Moyes at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A reunion with Julian Nagelsmann - now in charge of Germany - is dead in the water too, leaving Manchester United's Erik ten Hag as the purported top candidate, but even their interest in the Dutchman is now said to have cooled.