Guardiola To Snub Chelsea For Manchester United Job

helsea owner Roman Abramovich is set for a battle if he wants Pep Guardiola to come to Stamford Bridge in the summer: the Sunday Mirror and The Sun report that former Barcelona boss Guardiola has his heart set on becoming Alex Ferguson’s replacement at Manchester United.

The papers claim that the Spaniard “has reservations about the way Abramovich runs Chelsea” – as indeed would any sane manager – and that he is to speak to Ferguson to see what his retirement plans are before making any decision.

The Sun claims that Fergie and Pep “are close friends and have met privately in New York”, with a source “close” to the Champions League-winning Barca boss saying, “the whole history of Manchester United, his relationship with Sir Alex and the way the club is run appeals to Pep.”

The source – who also appears to have blabbed to the Mail on Sunday – added that Guardiola would even be happy to take another year out of the game if it meant landing his first choice job at Old Trafford.

“I’d be astonished if he went to Chelsea. He really wants to wait for the United job even if it means extending his time out of the game,” the source added.

Luis Suarez has been without doubt the best striker in the Premier League so far this season, becoming a one-man goal machine who has single-handedly kept Liverpool going – but he could leave the club at the end of the season, according to the Sunday Mirror.

The paper reports that the Reds striker has a £40 million buy-out clause in his contract, not exactly a far-fetched amount for a 25-year-old at the peak of his powers, and Chelsea and Manchester City are both reportedly interested in making a move.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is far more interested in buying than selling, however, and The Sun on Sunday reports that he is ready to make an £8m January move for Borussia Dortmund’s winger Kevin Grosskreutz.

Harry Redknapp is ready to make his first signing as QPR manager – and it could hardly be a bigger name that he has his sights on: David Beckham could be on his way to the London club, according to the Sunday papers.

The Sunday Mirror claims that Beckham is determined to sign the 37-year-old midfielder, whose contract with LA Galaxy will expire after the MLS Cup final on Sunday night.

The Sun on Sunday runs a piece that could potentially back up the story: Victoria Beckham has been seen house hunting in London, with the paper running paparazzi pics of her looking at a series of stunning £9m mansions in leafy suburbs such as Richmond, in the south west of the capital.

The Sun’s mole insists that David Beckham won’t sign for a Premier League side, however, while the Mirror admits that Redknapp has his work cut out if he is to land the player, saying that the 65-year-old, “will need all his powers of persuasion to convince Beckham to snub lucrative offers from Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar, Brazil, China and Russia to join the QPR relegation battle.”

QPR chief Tony Fernandes is said to be right behind the bid, however, and with no transfer fee to pay Beckham could be offered astronomical wages to make the move.

The Daily Star Sunday lists several other QPR targets, with Scott Parker and Peter Crouch the names at the top of the list.

Crystal Palace and England winger Wilfried Zaha will not make a £20 million move to Manchester Untied despite the money apparently being on the table,with Eagles boss Ian Holloway saying it would be “false economy” to cash in on the star rather than use him to boost Palace’s promotion drive (Daily Mirror). The South London club are currently second in the Championship and dreaming of a first season in the top flight for nearly a decade.

Leighton Baines could well be on his way to Old Trafford in two months’ time, though: the Sunday Express reports that Alex Ferguson is confident of signing the Everton full-back for £8m in the transfer window.

The Mail on Sunday claims that Arsene Wenger is to make a shock £10m bid for Liverpool’s Stewart Downing in January, with Wenger believing he can “rescue his career” after a torrid time at Anfield. What can you say to that, other than that he seems a perfect, almost like-for-like replacement for Andrei Arshavin: hugely talented, massively inconsistent, utterly frustrating.

Speaking of like-for-like replacements, Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has said that he wants to join Arsenal now that his international team-mate Robin van Persie has left the Emirates. The Sunday Mirror reports that the Bundseliga’s top striker wants a £6m January move from Schalke, and now that Van Persie – whom he apparently loathes – is not at the North London club, it is a perfect fit for him.