Bayern Munich have targeted Manchester City's Pep Guardiola as their next manager, according to reports in Germany.
Guardiola's contract at the Etihad runs until 2021, but the Bundesliga giants are hoping to persuade him to return to Germany next summer, four years after he left, to replace Niko Kovac.
Thomas Tuchel, coach of Paris Saint-Germain, and Erik ten Hag, curently in charge of Ajax, are also being considered for the post at the Allianz Arena, but Guardiola appears to be the first choice, according to SportBild.
The German media reported that Guardiola visited Bayern's training ground and the club's directors a few months ago. He still owns a flat in Munich.
When he left the club he promised that he would return one day, saying: "I will come back here, to Germany - maybe as a coach."
Bayern president Uli Hoeness stressed they are looking for a "long-term solution" after Kovac was fired last week.
Guardiola was hugely successful in his three years in Bavaria, between 2013 and 2016. He won the Bundesliga every year and the DFB Cup in 2014 and 2016 – but was eliminated at the semi-final stage of the Champions League by Real Madrid (2014), Barcelona (2015) and Atletico Madrid (2016).
"My time in Munich won't be judged on not having won the Champions League," he said on departure. "Winning it is hard and defeats are part and parcel of the competition. Football always gives you another chance and people are surprised by the difficulty of the Champions League: with Bayern I got to three semi-finals and was knocked out in each.
"Bayern have won successive league titles so perhaps for them the Champions League seems more important."
Guardiola has won the Premier League title for the last two season with City, and last season they claimed the domestic double after beating Watford in the FA Cup final. But the Champions League has eluded him so far at the Etihad.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
