WHRE I AM GOING ? Guardiola will have pick of the top jobs

Had you delved into the heart of the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport on the day Chelsea were beaten in Turin you would have found a cartoon.

The features were exaggerated but the image was familiar, a smartly-suited and shaven-headed man with stubble, dwarfed by the skyscrapers of New York, studying a signpost.

London, Milan, Munich and Manchester were the options available. Across European football, everyone is asking the same question: Where now for Pep Guardiola, the world’s most wanted coach? 

Where next, Pep? Guardiola could have the pick of jobs when he returns to football

Roman Abramovich likes to think it is Stamford Bridge whereupon he will be expected to recreate the success he enjoyed in Barcelona, turning Chelsea into the world’s finest and most popular team. 

What can go wrong? The first thing for Abramovich is that Guardiola could swerve him for one of the other offers.

AC Milan and Bayern Munich are serious about their interest and Manchester City have recently appointed Txiki Begiristain as their director of football.

It was Begiristain, when in a similar role at Barcelona, who lured Guardiola back to the club in his first coaching role, in charge of the reserve team. City were favourites among the British bookies until yesterday’s shift.

Then there is Manchester United, the quiet option out of respect for Sir Alex Ferguson’s longevity, but if there is one person who might smooth the sensitivities of all sides of the Fergie exit, it is probably Guardiola.

Repeat performance? Guardliola could find it difficult to replicate his success at Barcelona