German champions Bayern Munich would continue to reap the benefits of manager Pep Guardiola’s coaching even after the Spaniard leaves the club at the end of the season, midfielder Xabi Alonso has said.
Guardiola, who has won numerous trophies with Barcelona and then Bayern, would take over as head coach of English Premier League side Manchester City from July.
The Spaniard, who will be replaced at Bayern by Italian Carlo Ancelotti, looks set to lift his third successive Bundesliga in his final season and Alonso has hailed the manager’s influence.
“Pep is ahead of his time. He is very demanding of himself and his players, but once you get to know it (the style), then it is the way we like to play,” Alonso said.
“During his time here he has built something, a style of play, I think many players would have learnt a lot and improved and for sure those fundamentals would be very useful in the future as well.”
Bayern hold a five-point lead over Borussia Dortmund with seven games remaining and host second-bottom Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola takes charge of the Manchester City, one of the oldest sides in the premier league.
City have struggled to keep pace at the top of the table under Manuel Pellegrini’s and its currently sitting 15 points behind leaders Leicester City.
Since starting the season in terrific fashion, City have taken just 35 points from the last 25 matches – form which has left them out of the title picture and battling simply to finish in the top four.
Guardiola needs to reinvigorate his side, and will be handed the cash to do just that this summer. Chief priority on his list is a new central midfielder, someone who can dominate and impress upon the side the possession-style of play that the Spaniard craves.
Here are six targets who could do just that:sell midfielder Toni Kroos (Real Madrid); Borussia Dortmund star Ilkay Gundogan; 23, Swiss playmaker Granit Xhaka currently playing for Borussia and 19 year old Riechedly Bazoer of Ajax; 23 years french midfielder an, Paul Pogba of Turin might be the biggest buy (70 million pounds) for Pep. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Schalke.
