Few times do managers and head coaches dominate the transfer rumors columns, especially during January. Jose Mourinho isn’t called the “special one” for no reason, and Pep Guardiola might not have a catchy nickname, but he’s just as in demand, despite not working for the past 7 months.
And both of them are throwing hints towards their future plans. Pep Guardiola spoke about wanting to return to coaching next season, but not mentioning a club or a league, yet. Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Inter and Bayern Munich have all been mentioned as potential destinations, but Guardiola refused to answer on the subject. His latest comment might shed some light on his though process.
Just like Jose Mourinho, Guardiola is thinking about the Premier League, but for Mourinho, if & when, it’ll be a return to the known, somewhere he’s already tasted success at. For Guardiola, anything outside of Barcelona will be something he hasn’t done before.
As a player, I couldn’t realize my dream to play there. But I hope in the future I have a challenge to be a coach or a manager there and feel the experience of all the coaches and players that have been there. It is unique, to play in that league. I want to feel the supporters, the environment, the media and the style of the players. I am still young, just 41, so I hope in the future I could train there and enjoy that. I have always found English football very fascinating. The support of the home team is amazing. In Italy, Latin people will support you when you are playing and when you lose, they kill you. In England, I’m always surprised people always support everything and that is nice. That’s why I hope to have the challenge to train there.
For Jose Mourinho, while Chelsea and the return to England look like the prime objective, unless Real Madrid surprise everyone with an out-of-this-world offer, there are also other options, as you’d expect, but not from a club you’d think has the means to retain him. Mourinho is the highest paid manager in the world, but AC Milan, growing tired of Massimiliano Allegri and his inability to pull the club out of the mud (having quite a limited roster to use), might try and get Mourinho once he becomes available.