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Guardiola ‘has chosen’ his next club

When Guardiola returned from a one-year sabbatical in NY and began his three-year stint at Bayern in the summer of 2013, he insisted on adding his former Barcelona player Thiago Alcantara to a squad which had just won the Treble of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League.

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The German champions are eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and will play Italian club Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Pellegrini would have preferred to have extended his time at Manchester City but the likely arrival of Pep Guardiola at the end of the season will see him leave the club.

Asked whether Guardiola said where he is going, Rummenigge replied: “I think I know where he is going”.

He is the only coach that reaped the Champions League trophy three times and reached the finals four times.

“We are grateful for everything Pep Guardiola has given for our club since 2013”.

“You could read between the lines and that was something that we should have interpreted”, Rummenigge added.

“That is what we were looking for and that is what we have found. We are looking forward to working with him”.

Ancelotti will be the second Bayern coach from Italy, following Giovanni Trapattoni who was in charge 1994-1995 and 1996-1998.

The 62-year-old has no intention of retiring from football and still believes that he has some years left in club management before a final crack at the Chile national job.

Chelsea sacked Mourinho on Thursday and have appointed Guus Hiddink until the end of the season. However, recent reports have claimed struggling Chelsea and United are also considering tempting the former Barcelona manager in the summer.

Speculation regarding Guardiola’s future began nearly a year ago, with the Bavarians initially confident that the Catalan would stay at the Allianz Arena.

If true that would appear a curious stance from the club although it is also possible that they know the Spaniard’s future plans are already decided and are therefore distancing themselves.

“It’s an honour for me to be part of this great club next season”, Ancelotti wrote.

However, Guardiola still has the chance to win the UEFA Champions League, German Cup and Bundesliga in the current season.

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Guardiola, 44, jetted home to Spain on Sunday for Christmas, leaving Bayern to officially announce he would not extend his three-year contract.

Guardiola confirmed to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season Ancelotti announced as replacement