Guardiola and Messi linked to Man City

Pep Guardiola has agreed to join English champions Manchester City next season, according to reports in Spain, with former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti lined up to replace the Spaniard at Bayern Munich.

The Bayern Munich manager's contract expires at the end of the season and he is set for talks with the club's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge next month to decide his future.

According to Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, however, the former Barcelona manager has already decided to take over at the Etihad Stadium. Meanwhile, City have also today been linked with a stunning offer for Lionel Messi in a further attempt to lure Guardiola to the club. The Argentine superstar has reportedly begun talks with Manchester City over a £800,000-a-week deal.

Reports said that although nothing formal has been agreed between Guardiola and the English club, Man City CEO Ferran Soriano and director Txiki Begiristain, two friends of Guardiola’s from his Barcelona days, have received word from the Catalan coach.

Manuel Pellegrini, whose City team are currently third in the Premier League ahead of their game with Southampton this weekend, has another year to run on his contract but that will be terminated to make space for Guardiola. 

There have been no discussions between Ancelotti and Bayern, according to the report.

"Guardiola has decided on a change of scenery,' the report read. 'He considers his time in Germany will end on 30 June after three seasons and, therefore, fulfil one of his wishes: to coach in England."

Guardiola has won the Bundesliga in both of his two seasons at Bayern, with the side currently eight points clear of rivals Borussia Dortmund and unbeaten after 13 matches.

City have also today been linked with a stunning offer for Lionel Messi in a further attempt to lure Guardiola to the club. The Argentine superstar has reportedly begun talks with Manchester City over a £800,000-a-week deal.

According to The Sun, Messi, who in recent months has been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp, is in talks with City who could be willing to offer the Argentine a £40m-a-year contract in order to lure him to the Eithad Stadium.

The 28-year-old's current contract at the Catalan giants runs until 2018 with him already earning £500,000 a week.

The report suggests City would be able to afford Messi's wages with the £150m worth of funding they are expected to receive next season on the back of a new TV deal. 

Messi has a buyout clause of £250m but it's understood the La Liga side would be willing to listen to offers around the £120m mark.