Pep Guardiola has reportedly turned down Manchester City’s advances to take the manager’s job, in favour of waiting for rivals Manchester United.
The former Barcelona boss is midway through a year-long sabbatical from the game, but has spent much of it being continuously linked with his next job, with City, United, Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain among the clubs said to be contending for his services in 2013-14.
However, the Daily Star believe that there is only one choice for the 41-year-old, Manchester United.
The English paper alleges that City, via former Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain, have already offered the former midfielder a blank cheque to replace Roberto Mancini as Coach, but that he has made clear his intention is to wait for cross-town rivals United.
Their manager Sir Alex Ferguson is speculated as considering retirement next summer and, having already met with Guardiola when in New York recently, is believed to have already held discussions over Pep perhaps succeeding him.
Ferguson is widely assumed in the UK to have a say at Old Trafford over who his successor at the club will be, whilst it is speculated that Guardiola’s desire to take the United job would see him extend his sabbatical, if Ferguson does not retire in 2013.