Guardiola has said he intends to manage in the Premier League when his Bayern contract expires at the end of the season and Douglas Costa said: "I wish him all the best at his next destination".

Pep Guardiola is already thinking about his future in the Premier League and never enjoyed "true love" with his players at Bayern Munich, according to Germany legend Lothar Matthaus.

City could afford to pay the necessary transfer fees to sign such players as Messi and Pique, and they could offer both huge contracts-and the chance to be reunited with Guardiola could sway the pair.

"I wanted that also and I think that it's very good he wants to do that, and I don't think it will have an impact on his club". At the moment, nothing is fixed.

"I want to coach in England", the Spaniard told a press conference, his first since the announcement on December 20 of his departure and replacement by Italian Carlo Ancelotti. "I think at my age, it is the right moment to go".

Bayern have failed to lift the Champions League, however, even though Guardiola took over the reigning European champions, and his time at the club may ultimately be judged in how the team fare in this year's European Cup.

Chelsea recently parted company with Jose Mourinho after a forgettable start to the 2015-16 campaign, with Guus Hiddink taking charge until the end of the season on an interim basis.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will have a challenging task to replace the long-serving Arsene Wenger when the Frenchman opts to leave, with the Gunners offering a more secure option than Chelsea in the British capital.

Gerrard, clearly a fan of the ex-Barcelona boss, is now reading "Pep Confidential", a book about Guardiola's first season at Bayern.

Bayern, already a dominant force having won the treble in 2013 of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup under Jupp Heynckes, soon became nearly unbeatable at home.

"It's not for sure he will be the manager of a Premier League club next year", Van Gaal said.