City could land ex-Barca boss next summer.
Manchester City are in pole position to appoint former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola after landing Txiki Begiristain as director of football, fanatix understands.
Guardiola, 42, left the Catalans at the end of last season as the club’s most successful ever boss after winning 14 major trophies in four seasons.
Chelsea approached Guardiola in the summer but the Spaniard has insisted he wants to take a year out of the game to spend time with his family.
Guardiola has since been linked with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich but a source close to the former Barca midfielder told fanatix that Guardiola could now end up at City next summer.
The Premier League Champions appointed former Barcelona technical director Begiristain as their director of football over the weekend and it has long been understood that Begiristain could be the key to Guardiola’s next move.
The pair had a healthy working relationship at the Nou Camp, overseeing a hugely successful period in which a number of young stars like Sergio Busquets and Pedro were successfully integrated in Barca’s first team.
It is understood that City currently have no plans to sack boss Roberto Mancini but will consider the Italian’s position at the end of the season if City do not retain the Premier League title, particularly given the Citizens’ woeful Champions League form.
Mancini has made it clear he expects the support of new his new director of football but Begiristain remains in touch with Guardiola and will not hesitate to approach his former colleague if Mancini flounders in the race for the league title.
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