Manchester United prepare Guardiola deal to leave Chelsea and City in the cold

MANCHESTER UNITED are planning a move to land Pep Guardiola, according to reports.

 



Ed Woodward (right) is reportedly keen to appoint Pep Guardiola

 

Guardiola will quit his post at Bayern Munich in the summer and is expected to move to a Premier League club.

Chelsea and Manchester City are both known to be keen on appointing him.

But the Daily Mail claim United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward believes he can lure the Spaniard to Old Trafford.

 

United's current boss Van Gaal is being assessed on a game-by-game basis.

Van Gaal stormed out of his pre-match press conference yesterday amid reports he could be axed if the club fail to beat Stoke on Boxing Day and Chelsea two days later.

Woodward was in United's London office this week for meetings but it is understood that Van Gaal's future was not discussed.

It is claimed Woodward wants to keep Van Gaal on for the rest of the season before axing him from his contract one year early.

 

The Daily Mail also claim four senior players - Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Chris Smalling and Juan Mata - were the most vocal members of a volatile group debate with the manager this week.

Were United to appoint Guardiola next summer he would be their third manager in three years since Sir Alex Ferguson's 26-year reign came to an end.

Chelsea are seeking a new boss for the summer after sacking Jose Mourinho this month.

 

Dutchman Guus Hiddink has taken over in temporary charge until the end of the season, with Guardiola and Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone eyed by owner Roman Abramovich.

As for City, Manuel Pellegrini's future appears stable for now but the club's owners have a reputation of axing their managers when they fail to bring in trophies.

City did not win anything last season and Pellegrini needs a title to keep his job, with the club capable of paying over the odds for Guardiola.