Chelsea have contacted Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini about manager’s job

Bayern Munich announced on Sunday that Carlo Ancelotti would be taking over from Guardiola as the new manager next season at the Allianz Arena.

The Spaniard’s name has been linked with both Manchester clubs and Chelsea.

Pellegrini, expected to be replaced by Pep Guardiola this summer, is a frontrunner for the Blues job alongside Italy boss Antonio Conte, according to a report by Radio COPE, who also claim that Guus Hiddink will have his contract automatically extended should he win a trophy.

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had promised Bayern fans a “Christmas surprise” after Saturday’s final game of 2015, but it turned into the worst-kept secret in German football.

“I am convinced that Pep and our team are now going to work even more intensively on realising our sporting ambitions, particularly now that it has been confirmed that Pep will be leaving Bayern”. “Carlo is a calm, balanced expert, who knows how to deal with stars and favours a multifaceted style of play – we were looking for this, and we have found it. We are looking forward to working with him”.

It remains to be seen how the players will react to a lame-duck coach, despite Guardiola’s record and reputation.

Guardiola would bring less baggage than Mourinho and the Blues will need a strong, top, manager to rescue them with this season being a struggle for the reigning champions.

Guardiola, who took over Heynckes’ treble-winning side in 2013, led Bayern to the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup that same year, a German league and cup double in 2014, and another Bundesliga title in 2015.

Guardiola, meanwhile, is one behind his Italian successor after winning the Champions League twice in the Barcelona hot seat, but his overall win percentage places him ahead of Ancelotti.

“My contract showed that the club was happy and that I was happy, but sometimes you can have a contract for six or eight years and, at the end of the season, you don’t continue anyway”, he said.

“It’s an honour for me to be part of this great club next season, FC Bayern Munich”, he wrote on Twitter.

“I must confess that I can not enjoy watching Bayern’s games”.

In a match heavily publicised as the former managerial rivals at Barcelona and Real Madrid did battle, Bayern beat Chelsea in a thrilling contest on penalties after Javi Martinez had made it 2-2 in the final moments of extra-time.

Former club Barcelona scored three times in the final 13 minutes to win the first leg of the semi-final tie 3-0 at Camp Nou.