PEP Guardiola has told Arsenal that it is top of his Premier League wish list, Goal.com can reveal.

Representatives of the former Barcelona manager have let it be known to the north London club that he would be very keen to be considered for the manager’s job if it was to become available next year.

Guardiola, who is on a year’s sabbatical in New York, is in the frame for leading posts in England, as well as Continental giants like AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

Sources have told Goal.com that Guardiola’s Premier League preference is to take the reins at Arsenal, ahead of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

The Spaniard, who guided Barcelona to 14 trophies, including two Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles during a dazzlingly successful four-year tenure, is expected to begin sifting through offers early in 2013.

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, is under more pressure than at any point since taking over in October 1996.

The club is within two points of fourth place in the Premier League, but has not won a trophy for seven years and one of its best chances of ending that run ended with the catastrophic Capital One Cup defeat to League Two minnows Bradford City on Tuesday night.

“Guardiola’s preference in England is Arsenal,” a source told Goal.com. “The club is aware he would be interested in the job in 2013.

“Guardiola doesn’t want to go to Chelsea. He is worried about the lack of stability. He also has a good relationship with Wenger dating back to when he started doing his coaching badges at Arsenal.”

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has sounded out the 41-year-old on a number of occasions but Guardiola has strong reservations about taking a job where the manager’s position is so insecure.

Ex-Barcelona chiefs Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain are on the board at Manchester City, where Roberto Mancini’s position is in doubt in the medium and long-term, while Sir Alex Ferguson turns 71 on December 31 and has already begun considering his legacy at Manchester United.

Of the English elite who could be searching for a new manager, Arsenal have the history, prestige and stability that only United can beat and there is a strong possibility that Wenger’s reign could come to an end next summer.

Goal.com revealed last week that the Frenchman has put contract talks on the backburner until the end of the season.

The manager’s current deal runs until June 2014 and Wenger has been informally approached by the board to arrange a time to open discussions over a new deal. But it is understood that Wenger has no intention of discussing an extension during the season and that he will assess his future at the end of the current campaign.

“There will be no talks before then,” the source added.

It is expected that the tipping point in the decision of the most successful manager in Arsenal’s history will be whether he records a 17th consecutive top-four finish.

This fits in with the Frenchman’s own public comments in the wake of the recent 2-0 defeat against Swansea, which prompted the Frenchman to turn his anger on his own players.

Wenger stuck to his oft-stated line of honouring his contracts, while at the same time reiterating his confidence about his ability to drive the club forward.

“If you ask me always about my future, I can only give you one answer,” he said. “I always respected my contracts, and that is it.”

The Arsenal board, led by majority owner Stan Kroenke and chief executive Ivan Gazidis, retain complete faith in Wenger and put far greater store in his record of top-four finishes and success in navigating the group stages of the Champions League than current form.

If Arsenal fail to attain a Champions League place this season, there is a strong possibility that Wenger will conclude he has failed to achieve his primary objective and agree an amicable exit strategy with the club.

Such is Wenger’s elevated status at Emirates Stadium that he has a far greater say in his destiny than any English-based boss, bar perhaps Ferguson.

Wenger is also expected to have a considerable say in who his successor will be.

The two men the Frenchman is most likely to recommend are believed to be Guardiola and Dragan Stojkovic.

The former Yugoslavia captain played for Wenger when he was in charge at Nagoya Grampus Eight in the mid-1990s and has followed in his mentor’s shoes by managing the Japanese club since 2008.

In an interview last year, Wenger said: “I would love Stojkovic to be my successor, there are a hundred reasons for that.

“Our ideas are the same and we both strive for perfect football. I knew he was going to have teams playing attacking football with many passes.”



http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107542:guardiola-wants-arsenal-job&catid=58:abroad&Itemid=623

he never mentioned man united,go thru d right source nt vanguard.

In Arsene We trust

Just so you know Pep, we aint got Messi .

jerk: he never mentioned man united,go thru d right source nt vanguard.

And you had to quote the entire article.

Papa still yet, the trophyless shit will not end

Infact that observation makes him the best in the world....

Now if only the board will show Wenger the door. . .

wenger must go!

OMG, Somebody is bound to loose his job next year if this is true. But Pep, you for keep quiet na.

What stupid representative revealed this? And Goal.com? LOL.
The man said he would only consider his future by the new year at least.
If you think Arsene Wenger is going anywhere in the near future,think again.

He want to self-destruct niyen

Pep u beta look elsewhere because wenger will die on dat seat

Arsenal fans will regret the decision they are about to make now. Wenger aŋԂ Ferguson don't have rival in coaching aŋԂ talent building.

LOL

dan baza hide the post for all i care am the second to comment.

Arsene Wenger is not Arsenal's problem. Wish list for Pep? If wishes were horses. There are managers that don't get sacked and Arsene Wenger is one of them.

Let's hope he can replicate what he did at Barcelona there too! I heard the news too this morning, I wish him the very best!!!

Ogidi-Olu:
Just so you know Pep, we aint got Messi .

Before Messi, Barca was winning and even when Messi was injured, Barca still won matches under Pep.

WENGER must GOOOOO

arsenal is not winning trophies but they are not in debt like the other clubs like man u, city chelsea etc based on business oprations. Football is buisness and Wenger has made millions for arsenal by buying players cheap and selling them at mega millions. so that is y they have not saxked him yet. check how much he buys and later sells players

Pep wl mk it any where, any club , any part of d world.

In Arsene we rust!

The man is smart. Arsenal is the coolest job at the moment. There won't be pressure.

Go to Chelsea, you could be fired within a year if you can't win two major trophies or fail to impress in four consecutive matches.

Go to Man United, you have a big expectation from the owners and fans courtesy of Ferguson's legacy.

Go to Barca, you might not have Alves, Villa, Iniester and Xavi at their peak soon.

I wish him well oo....

Arsene wenger and d arsenal board get typical nigeria leaders nd government mentality respectively. Dey r nt performing wel yet dey refuse 2 resign. All dey care abt is d mony. Der cup go soon full

That would great news to lift the gloom which has enveloped Arsenal, their fans and the Emirates stadium
Smart move by Pep
Of all the big teams in England, Arsenal and Yoonited are about the most stable managerially
AW will NOT BE SACKED

Face it, his contract expires in the summer
While the fans hate him, the board is will be eternally thankful to him
Probably, they will move him up the board and find a position for him
Of all the big teams in England, Arsenal is the least indebted
How many teams can fund the season and build a new stadium at the same time?
Not many
Wasn't it debt that has phucked up Liverpool?
Yoonited is along the same path, only that the brand is VERY lucrative and they are winning
AW is an ETERNAL legend
Arsenal fans may not acknowledge so now but they will when UEFA financial fair play rules kick in

blasterman: arsenal is not winning trophies but they are not in debt like the other clubs like man u, city chelsea etc based on business oprations. Football is buisness and Wenger has made millions for arsenal by buying players cheap and selling them at mega millions. so that is y they have not saxked him yet. check how much he buys and later sells players

chelsea are debt free.
@topic
good for him,cos i don't want him near chelsea.
He has the aura of a 'flop' all over him.
We will wait for mourinho the special one.