KEY POINTS

  • Barcelona presidential candidate Víctor Font wants to lure Pep Guardiola back to Camp Nou
  • Guardiola hinted at a longer stay at Manchester City
  • The coach is concerned over player injuries piling up

FC Barcelona is undergoing a massive overhaul with significant changes being made at the top. Victor Font is being groomed as the club’s next president for the Catalan giant, and he already has someone in mind to possibly call the shots for Blaugrana next season – Pep Guardiola.

Font wants to build a strong and competitive team. He explained that this is the culture inherited from Johan Cruyff and went on to name people who best exemplify this style. Guardiola was the first to be mentioned, followed by Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol, Marca reported.

Luring Guardiola back to Camp Nou makes sense. However, the 49-year-old Spanish manager appears to be happy with Manchester City.

His contract is expiring after this season, but Guardiola said that he would love to stay longer, Sky Sports reported. He is in his fifth season with City, which is more than the time he has spent with any other club.

"I am incredibly happy here," said Guardiola. "I'm delighted to be in Manchester and I hope I can do a good job this season to stay longer."

For now, Guardiola is trying to find ways to keep the Sky Blues’ heads above water. He has several players out due to injury and believes the shortened summer break has factored heavily.

City is not the only team struggling, with most left to adjust to the conditions set by the coronavirus. Guardiola suggested a change: allowing five substitutes like the closing stages of last season.

"Hopefully they can reconsider and do what the rest of the world does. We have to adjust many things during this pandemic, the reality is completely different to before,” Guardiola said.

So while his name has been drawn back to Barca, a team he had managed from 2007 to 2012, Guardiola is focusing on their current campaign. Anything can happen after this season, but the chances of him moving out of the City of Manchester Stadium are not that high.

Meanwhile, Font is one of several candidates for the Barca presidency following the resignation of Josep Maria Bartomeu. Carlos Tusquets is currently serving as the interim president and will likely hold on to that position until the new elections are held early next year, Football Espana reported.

Aside from Font, other names are being thrown in the mix for the position of Barcelona president. One is Joan Laporta and another yet-to-be-mentioned name affiliated with Bartomeu is expected to join the mix.

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are favourites to win the Premier League title despite a slow start
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are favourites to win the Premier League title despite a slow start POOL / Martin Rickett