From Sam Lee: South American national team federation make ‘several’ calls to Pep Guardiola over managerial role

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola is continuing to be at the centre of intensified approaches over a new role away from the Etihad Stadium.

With the 53-year-old remaining in the final months of his existing Manchester City contract, conversations over where his future lies beyond the Premier League champions continues to intensify as the weeks pass.

The last few weeks have discussed the tenuous approaches made by the Football Association over the previously-vacant position within the England set-up, before the Wembley job was ultimately handed to Thomas Tuchel.

Now, as Manchester City continue to pursue a renewed deal for Pep Guardiola and hope that the challenge within the game of maintaining success at the Etihad Stadium proves to be a decisive factor in keeping the coach, other set-ups are chasing his signature.

The latest reports have drawn attention to advances being made by South American football officials, with a potential bow coming in the 2030 FIFA World Cup – long after his time with Manchester City is expected to have come to an end.

According to a new report from The Athletic’s Sam Lee, quoting well-placed sources on the matter, the Brazilian Football Confederation is ‘making a major play’ to bring Pep Guardiola in as a future coach, reportedly calling the Catalan tactician ‘on several occasions’ this year.

It is further pointed out that the Manchester City manager likes the idea of managing Brazil, however there is an ‘even stronger school of thought’ he will stay at the Etihad Stadium for one more year, and work towards managing a national side in preparation for the 2030 World Cup.

As has been reiterated by the Catalan on several occasions this season, Pep Guardiola has not made up his mind but the report claims that some within the club have noted a change in atmosphere around the place with another contract extension seeming increasingly possible.

Pep Guardiola was recently quizzed specifically on the prospect of taking the Brazil international job immediately after Manchester City’s 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League this week.

Guardiola instead joked in response, “After a 4-1 defeat, I’m no longer an option.”

That answer came after Manchester City’s third consecutive defeat across all competitions, and the first time that the reigning Premier League champions had managed such a run of form since April 2018.

Guardiola said in response, “More than ever, I want to lift up the team and return them to their top level. It is a tough challenge, but I am here. It will be a tough season – we knew that from the start. But this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players and try it.”

Speaking more positively on the prospect of coaching at international level, Pep Guardiola told Brazilian media in March, “Because I have a dream, it doesn’t mean that it will come true and, if it doesn’t happen, great, too.”

When pushed for an answer on why he particularly ‘dreams’ about this next step in his career, and whether it is specifically due to the prospect of managing at a FIFA World Cup, Pep Guardiola said, “Yes, basically.”