Media round-up: Guardiola to manage City next season

Bayern manager widely expected to replace Pellegrini in summer

Pep Guardiola's announcement that he intends to manage in the Premier League next season dominates the back pages this morning. Whilst the media in Germany and Spain have long claimed that he will be City's next manager, certain elements of the British press, either in denial or merely chasing clicks, are still seemingly clinging to the notion that he may in fact end up at United.

The Sun claim that United could secure his services if "they act quickly". The penny seems to have finally dropped with most, however, and Guardiola is expected to replace Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the season.

The Express claim that Guardiola aims to persuade Lionel Messi to join him at The Etihad, although Guillem Balague believes that Neymar is a more realistic target for the Blues.

Pellegrini, for his part, has said that he would accept the sack this summer if it meant winning the Premier League, according to The Mirror. "If I have the option to renew here for five more years or to win the title and be sacked, I'd prefer to win the title," said Pellegrini. However, The Daily Star report that Pellegrini, unsurprisingly, believes that winning the quadruple is "impossible", given the number of games involved.

Finally, Nicolas Otamendi has told The Independent that he believes City can beat Everton in tonight's Capital One Cup semi-final, whilst acknowledging that his love of boxing, beard and tattoos all add to his "hard man" persona.