Guardiola close to return to management? (Video)

Pep Guardiola’s name has been thrown about the English press since his departure from Barcelona at the end of last season, but has his destination finally become a little bit clearer?

Txiki Begiristain, formerly Director of Football at Guardiola’s hometown club Barca, has recently taken up a similar role at Premiership champions Man City, with the strategy at the club now being to make smarter investments on and off the pitch, and improve the teams youth academy.

Begiristain obviously did this job wonderfully for the Catalan club, delivering their best results as a team in many years, and overthrowing the ‘galacticos’ side of Real Madrid from the top of Spanish, and arguable world football. Prodigy after prodigy emerged from ‘la masia’ (Barca’s youth academy), and a great manager was also unearthed in the process.

Begiristain hired Pep as manager of the B team when they were in the third tier of Spanish football, and after a magnificent season, Guardiola was offered the Barcelona job; the rest is history.

Whether City are looking at this as their big chance to lure one of the world’s best managers to the club is uncertain, with Mancini having done everything in his power seemingly. However, after a poor Champions League campaign up to now, and unconvincing performances (and systems) in the domestic league, Mancini may have his guard up.

Fans at Eastlands could get ready to see goals like this one in Manchester in the not so distant future.

Follow @MattMorlidge