Muller Think Fair Guardiola Difficulty in City

Stars Bayern Munich , Thomas Muller , pleaded not surprised to see his former manager, Josep Guardiola

 , was able to dominate Manchester City . 

In his first season in England, Guardiola found his team sit fourth in the league standings, seven points behind Chelsea from 20 games. 

Muller, who once played under Spanish manager at Bayern, said that the Premier League is not an easy league to conquer.


"The Premier League is a league that is very difficult, there are many strong teams. It's not easy to win against all the teams. You will play a lot of games in the UK," said Muller in FCB.tv. 

"This is the first year of Pep at Manchester City, and there are many factors that will make it difficult for him to do his job." 

"For me, no surprise that from the outset there is no clear trend as to who will come out as a champion." 

Bayern currently sit at the top of the Bundesliga and will play again on January 20.

Perubahan Lima Gelandang Pengganti Yaya Toure di Manchester City

Gelandang Manchester City Yaya Toure kemungkinan besar akan meninggalkan klub di musim panas mendatang. Pemain Pantai Gading ini sudah sering diberitakan akan hengkang dari Etihad dan kehadiran Josep Guardiola bisa mempercepat kepergiannya.

Toure menjadi pemain penting di lini tengah The Citizens sejak bergabung dari Barcelona pada tahun 2010. Ia dikenal sebagai pemain yang kuat dalam bertahan, namun juga handal dalam membantu serangan sehingga perannya tidak tergantikan.

Meski penampilannya sudah mulai menurun dalam beberapa tahun terakhir ini, Toure masih tetap dibutuhkan City. Oleh karena itu, City harus bisa menemukan pengganti Toure jika ingin terus menjadi klub yang sukses.Berikut adalah lima gelandang yang bisa menggantikan Yaya Toure di Manchester City. (skd/ada)
1. Paul pogba
Karir Paul Pogba bersinar terang bersama Juventus. Pemain asal Prancis itu menjadi elemen penting di lini tengah Bianconeri.

Melihat penampilannya selama ini tentunya tidak sedikit klub yang berminat untuk mendapatkan tenaga Pogba. Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona dan City sendiri sudah sering dikaitkan dengan Pogba.

Kehadiran Pogba di Etihad Stadium tentunya bakal membuat sang tetangga Manchester United semakin meradang. Pasalnya Pogba dilepas Setan Merah secara gratis pada tahun 2012 lalu.

2. Marco Verratti
Penampilan Marco Verratti semakin berkembang pesat di PSG. Meski usianya baru menginjak 23 tahun, namun ia mampu bersaing dengan bintang-bintang mahal PSG lainnya.

Kini sudah banyak klub yang berminat untuk memboyong pemain asal Italia tersebut. Namun sampai sejauh ini Les Parisiens belum tertarik untuk melepasnya ke klub lain.

City sendiri tidak punya masalah apabila harus menebus Verratti dengan harga yang mahal. Namun, kehadiran Verratti bisa menambah dimensi baru di lini tengah City.

3. N’Golo Kante
N’Golo Kante merupakan salah satu pemain yang berkontribusi besar atas kesuksesan Leicester City musim ini. Duetnya dengan Danny Drinkwater di lini tengah terbukti mampu mengantarkan The Foxes hampir menjadi juara Premier League.

Kante sendiri belum genap satu musim bermain di Premier League. Ia didatangkan Leicester pada awal musim ini namun tak membutuhkan waktu lama untuk membuat dampak yang besar.

Performa cemerlang yang ditunjukkan Kante membuatnya dipanggil timnas Prancis dan masuk dalam nominasi penghargaan Pemain Terbaik Premier League tahun ini. Kante sudah berhasil menaklukkan Premier League sehingga hal ini bisa menjadi nilai positif bagi City 

4. Blaise matuidi
Blaise Matuidi merupakan pilihan yang tepat bagi Manchester City. Namun gelandang PSG tersebut hanya bisa menjadi opsi jangka pendek bagi City karena sudah berusia 29 tahun.

Matuidi sangat mirip dengan Toure meski tidak memiliki postur yang tinggi besar seperti pemain Pantai Gading tersebut. Matuidi selalu tampil enerjik dalam setiap pertandingan sehingga membuatnya salah satu gelandang terbaik di Eropa.

Pemain Prancis tersebut sangat tangguh dan akan menjadi tambahan yang sangat berguna untuk lini tengah City. Josep Guardiola tentunya tidak akan kesulitan bekerja sama dengan pemain berpengalaman seperti Matuidi.

5. koke
Gelandang yang satu ini merupakan pemain didikan akademi Atletico Madrid. Permainannya semakin berkembang dan ia mempunyai kualitas yang mumpuni sebagai pengganti Yaya Toure di Manchester City.

Koke sendiri mempunyai peran yang sangat penting di lini tengah pasukan Diego Simeone. Ia mampu mengantarkan Atletico bersaing di La Liga dan Liga Champions musim ini.

Premier League jelas bakal menjadi pengalaman yang baru bagi pemain berusia 24 tahun tersebut. Namun, kehadiran David Silva dan Jesus Navas yang juga berasal dari Spanyol bisa sangat membantu Koke dalam beradaptasi di Etihad Stadium.  

Guardiola Incar Total 17 Bintang untuk Manchester City

Rumor yang mengaitkan Manchester City dengan sejumlah bintang dunia, menyusul kedatangan Josep Guardiola

musim depan, terus memanas. Belum lama ini, mantan manajer Barcelona dikabarkan telah mengincar 17 pemain bintang untuk The Citizens.The Times sebelumnya mengatakan bahwa klub tengah meminati Ilkay Gundogan dan Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, serta John Stones dan Aymeric Laporte. Namun The Mirror belum lama ini merilis 13 nama tambahan yang juga masuk dalam radar City.

Nama-nama yang dimaksud adalah:

Ilkay Gundogan (Dortmund), Julian Weigl (Dortmund), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club), John Stones (Everton), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Godfred Donsah (Bologna), Amadou Diawara (Bologna), Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht), Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax), Dennis Praet (Anderlecht), Ousmane Dembele (Rennes), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Inaki Williams (Athletic Club), Alvaro Morata (Juventus).

City sendiri tengah terancam tak lolos ke Liga Champions musim depan, usai mereka kini hanya unggul satu angka di atas Manchester United, meski masih ada di posisi empat klasemen. (mir/rer)

Guardiola will be Bayern coach

Pep Guardiola will become Bayern Munich manager in July, having agreed a three-year deal with the Bundesliga giants.



Former Barcelona coach Guardiola was confirmed as Bayern's next coach on Wednesday.



Current Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes remains in his post until the end of this season, when 41-year-old Guardiola will take over on a contract until summer 2016.



Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "Pep Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in the world and we are sure that he can make not just Bayern, but all of German football shine."



Guardiola will take over at the German giants on July 1, with Heynckes' contract running out on June 30.



The Spaniard announced last April he would be leaving Barca when his contract ran out at the end of the 2011/12 season and would be taking a year-long sabbatical from the game.



A host of clubs had been linked with the Spaniard since he left Barca, including Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea in England, Italian giants AC Milan and big-spending Paris Saint-Germain.



However, Bayern recently emerged as favourites to capture Guardiola's services and confirmed on Wednesday afternoon they had got their man.



Guardiola replaced Frank Rijkaard at Barca in 2008 and during his four years at the Nou Camp he led the Catalan giants to 13 trophies, making him the most successful coach in the club's history.

Tuesday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Pep Guardiola has fuelled the intrigue surrounding his future by stressing his desire to work in England.



- Arsenal have abandoned their pursuit of Barcelona forward David Villa and could instead make a move for Atletico Madrid’s Adrian Lopez, according to Goal.com.



- Arsenal are interested in Napoli midfielder Juan Camilo Zuniga but face competition from Barcelona, according to the player's agent.



- Manchester United are keeping an eye on Angel Di Maria's situation at Real Madrid as a potential replacement for Nani.



- Manchester United target James Rodriguez is wanted by Juventus, according to reports in Italy and Portugal.



- Manchester City and Chelsea target Marek Hamsik is ready to commit the rest of his career to Napoli, according to his agent.



- Carlos Tevez is reportedly considering a new contract offer at Manchester City that would keep him at the club until 2016.



- Frank Lampard has turned his back on a £20million offer to join former Chelsea team-mates Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in China.



- Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois says he wants to stay at Atletico Madrid for another year.



- Rafa Benitez has confirmed that Chelsea teenager Lucas Piazon will spend the rest of the season on loan at Spanish side Malaga.



- Fulham youngster Pajtim Kasami is wanted by Wolfsburg and Sampdoria as Martin Jol prepares to send him out on loan.



- Fulham have dropped out of the race to sign England goalkeeper Jack Butland - with Martin Jol on the verge of landing Roma's Maarten Stekelenburg.



- Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina could be a summer target for Atletico Madrid, according to reports in Spain.



- Molde have accepted a bid from Southampton for defender Vegard Forren.



- Newcastle have failed in a bid to land Lorient striker Jeremie Aliadiere.



- Newcastle United have made a bid for Nancy's Massadio Haidara.



- Newcastle target Massadio Haidara says he wants to join Roma rather than head to St James' Park.



- Newcastle are planning to bring the brilliant Ajax captain Siem de Jong to the Premier League in a £9million deal that will show their transfer ambition.



- Tottenham are maintaining interest in Palermo attacking midfielder Josip Ilicic, 24.



- Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is looking to drag Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko onto his sinking ship - in the hope of plugging some of the leaks ahead of the relegation scramble.



- West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has cooled speculation linking Arsenal with a move for his midfielder Mohamed Diame.



- Winston Reid has agreed a new two-year extension to his West Ham contract to see off interest from Barclays Premier League heavyweights, including Newcastle.



- QPR could sell Stephane Mbia to Chelsea should they be successful with their pursuit of Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila, according to L’Equipe.



- Queens Park Rangers have hijacked Loic Remy’s move to the Barclays Premier League and swooped to steal the France striker from under Newcastle United’s noses in an £8million move.



- Southampton are among those to have expressed an interest in Bologna's Frederik Sorensen, claims the defender's agent.



- Barcelona are ready to join Real Madrid in the race to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, according to El Mundo Deportivo.



- Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes insists he has made no decision over his future amid speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool.



- AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has again insisted the Serie A giants have no interest in signing Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.



- Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder has hinted that he is ready to reject a move to Galatasaray after admitting that he is in no rush to make a decision about his future.



- Eduardo Vargas is set to join Gremio on a sixth-month loan deal on Wednesday.



- Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, who is believed to be a target for Manchester United, could join Juventus, his agent has told Sky Sports.



- Hamburg forward Son Heung-Min, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, has emerged as a target for Tottenham, according to Bild.



- Borussia Dortmund defender Felipe Santana has dismissed speculation he will leave the Bundesliga club during this month's transfer window.



- The agent of Danish ace Christian Eriksen maintains the midfielder's focus is on Ajax despite ongoing interest.



- Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue is back on Arsenal's radar and is also a target for Chelsea, according to Le Sport 10.



- Nenê confirmed on Sunday that he is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Qatari club Al-Gharafa, rather than return to Brazil.



- Sao Paulo president Juvenal Juvencio admits they are interested in signing Denilson on a permanent deal from Arsenal, but not until June.



- Francesco Stella is set to leave Rangers after the Australian failed to make an impact at Ibrox.



- York City have signed striker Ben Everson until the end of the season, subject to international clearance.



- Derby County defender Tom Naylor has extended his loan at Bradford City by a further month.



- Ross County have completed the signing of Evangelos Ikonomou from Greek club Atromitos.



- Preston North End have signed defender Paul Connolly on loan from Leeds United until April.



- Bournemouth have agreed a fee with Aberdeen for highly-rated young winger Ryan Fraser.



- Toronto FC has confirmed the signing of Brazilian veteran Julio Cesar.

Pep stays guarded over return

Pep Guardiola has announced he wants to return to coaching - but is keeping his future plans close to his chest.

Former Barcelona boss Guardiola, who took a sabbatical from football after four years at the Nou Camp, has been suggested as the man most likely to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and as the next permanent manager at Chelsea.

Guardiola's confirmation that he is now looking to return to the game will spark renewed competition for the services of the man who steered Barcelona to 14 trophies in four seasons.

The 41-year-old told a news conference at the FIFA Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich: "Yes I would like to come back to coaching. I have been out of coaching for a year and it's what I would like but there is no reason to give any more specific details.

"I don't have a team to go to but I would like to go back to coaching. I have taken a decision to return to coaching but beyond that no decision has been taken."

Asked if he would consider Bayern Munich, who have also been linked with a move for him, Guardiola replied that it would be a "lack of respect" to talk about any team which currently has a coach.

Guardiola, who has been living in New York, said he had kept a close eye on Barca since leaving the club.

He added: "I keep on watching Barcelona on TV and it's a great show, a great team and I'm just a fan."

He also dismissed reports he would coach the Brazil national side at the 2014 World Cup in the South American country - Luiz Felipe Scolari was appointed for a second spell in charge last month.



"I think it has to be someone from their own country," he said. "Scolari is one of many world-class coaches from Brazil.