What Man City boss Pep Guardiola has said about returning to Barcelona

Naturally, it hasn't taken long since Ronald Koeman's inevitable sacking at Barcelona, for Pep Guardiola to be linked with a return to the Nou Camp.

Albeit tenuously, Guardiola has been named as an ideal replacement for Koeman, as he has been most times they have changed manager since his departure ten years ago.

The bookmakers had Guardiola as a 66/1 outsider to be the next Barcelona manager, with his former midfielder Xavi the odds-on favourite and finally preferred to succeed Koeman. Guardiola's inclusion on the betting list is more to bump up the numbers than a reflection of his actual chances, and Manchester City manager has made his feelings perfectly clear on the subject in recent years.

Before Joan Laporta's election as Barcelona president last year, Guardiola's name was used as a campaigning tool by some candidates, suggesting he could return and herald in a new era for the club.