'I want to coach in Premier League' — Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has confirmed he wants to manage in England when he leaves Bayern Munich in the summer.

Bayern announced last month that Guardiola had decided not to extend his three-year deal with the Bundesliga champions, and they have already named Carlo Ancelotti as his successor.

"I want to coach in Premier League," Guardiola told a news conference. "That is the reason I did not prolong my contract."

The former Barcelona coach has been strongly linked with Manchester City, but Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have also been touted as potential options.

Guardiola dismissed suggestions that a deal with City was already in place. "I have offers from England, but I have not signed a contract yet," he said. "When I have a new contract, then we will communicate it. I can't say more right now. I have not signed a contract yet."

In 2013, he had replaced the Jupp Heynckes, then 68 years old, as Bayern boss after the team had won the treble.

"If I were as old as Jupp Heynckes was during his last stint, I would have stayed," he said. "But I am still young enough, only 44 -- I want a new challenge now.

"Three years are enough. I am not comfortable with staying at one club for 30 years. I want new restaurants, a new city, a new challenge.

"When I got to Munich, people asked, 'Why Germany and not England?' I want to experience the emotions there. Why England? That's my instinct right now."

Before last month's announcement that Guardiola would be leaving, there had been various reports detailing his apparent frustrations in Munich. 

However, he said: "It was a dream, it is a dream. I am very grateful to FC Bayern for this huge opportunity.

"The club have given me an exceptional squad here. Maybe the folks don't understand it, but I need new challenges, to experience new emotions, to try it in a new stadium.

"I need new challenges in my career. I need to test myself in new situations. Changes are also good for the clubs. I think it's good for everyone -- for the journalists too."

It had been reported that Guardiola's wife was reluctant to move to Manchester, but he played down that idea, citing his time as a player with Brescia in Italy.

"The people in the city are important," he said. "I have lived in Brescia -- it's not a beautiful town."

Several Premier League games, including Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Chelsea and those involving Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, have been screened in Germany during the Bundesliga's winter break, and a Sport Bild journalist asked Guardiola about the "terrible football" in the English top flight.

However, Guardiola appeared to misunderstand the question, replying: "That's why I like that. I like to take risks."