By IAN WRIGHT
Having announced he will return to management this summer, Pep Guardiola has his pick of the world’s top clubs.
The only major side who would ignore the former Barcelona coach is Real Madrid — and I don’t have to explain why.
Yet I can see exactly why he would lean towards Manchester City. As for him joining Arsenal, forget it.
Guardiola has been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea and City — but not Arsenal.
The only people talking about Guardiola ending up at the Emirates are Arsenal fans but there is no chance of this happening. It is something that, one day, I would love to see — but it is fanciful.
Even if Arsene Wenger announced this morning that he was walking away at the end of the season — and I still think he will be around for a while — Guardiola would not want to join a club with limited spending.
He would not go to any team that may not even be in the Champions League next season.
The reality is that Arsenal, following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, are 21 points behind the leaders Manchester United.
Arsenal sell their best players, with Robin van Persie the latest to move elsewhere. He will win the title for United, I have no doubt.
So the fact my former club are in sixth place does not surprise me too much, even though it is disappointing.
Guardiola will be looking higher up than Arsenal.
The Spaniard knows he would not be able to attract top, top players there — even though the club would suit him in other ways in terms of history and style of play.
But I am certain it will be in England where he ends up.
I am not sure any top manager would go to Chelsea when you look at the way they treated both Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo.
Guardiola could be the perfect fit at United but it seems Alex Ferguson is going nowhere — and little wonder when you consider he looks set to win the title again.
So City seems the obvious — and likely — destination.
As Di Matteo found to his cost at Stamford Bridge, winning a major piece of silverware is not enough in modern-day football. And this is why Roberto Mancini’s future is unclear.
I find it ludicrous that Mancini could be shown the door when you consider what he has achieved, even though he has been given strong financial support.
But Guardiola would have something that other bosses do not possess — that little black book with the names of some remarkable, magical players. City’s owners will hardly need telling that by luring Guardiola, they would stand a chance of bringing in Lionel Messi.
I know he has signed a new contract at Barcelona but if one man would be able to persuade Messi to star in the Premier League, it would be Guardiola.
Not many clubs could afford to sign Messi but City would be one of them.
And that could take City to a totally new level.
I can see most of the current Barcelona team staying at the Nou Camp but Messi is still young enough to one day want a new challenge.
Managing City would also be a massive challenge for Guardiola. We would really see how good he is.
There is a great system at Barca. Look at how well Tito Vilanova is doing — the club have just enjoyed their best-ever first half of a season in La Liga.
But this would be a totally different environment for Guardiola and he would have to deal with the beast that is United.
Fergie has once again struck gold in signing Van Persie. He looks unstoppable.
Some fans moaned that United were not that good last season but they still only lost the title on goal difference.
RVP arriving has been a massive boost and has taken the pressure off Wayne Rooney.
If Fergie smokes cigars, he should get one out now.
United, as they proved against Liverpool, are looking so strong.
The race for Champions League places is less straightforward. You don’t know what you will get with Chelsea under Rafa Benitez. Everton are still doing really well while Spurs are impressing me.
They look comfortable and seem to be getting better under Andre Villas-Boas.
As for Arsenal, Sunday was frustrating even though the task became impossible after 10 minutes when Laurent Koscielny was dismissed.
They certainly need to strengthen. I was hoping that Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski would hit the ground running but they are still finding their feet. Podolski has scored a few goals and hopefully there are more to come.
As for the other clubs at the top, I do not think they will be doing much business.
City certainly won’t be. Although it appears their big arrival could be at the end of the season…
