Pep Guardiola and Manuel Pellegrini

Bayern Munich manager, Pep Guardiola will be taking over the manager’s job from Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City at the end of the season.

Manchester City finally confirmed the destination of the former Barcelona manager today.

The highly successful manager had been linked with several English Clubs, such as Chelsea and Manchester United after he announced his departure to an English club in December.

Here is City’s statement issued today:

“Manchester City can confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalized contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC Head Coach for the 2016/17 EPL season onwards.

“The contract is for three years. These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012.

“Out of respect for Manuel Pellegrini and the players, the Club wishes to make its decision public to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation.

“Manuel, who is fully supportive of the decision to make this communication, is entirely focused on achieving his targets for the season ahead and retains the respect and commitment of all involved with the leadership of the Club.”

The former Barcelona boss is close friends with City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano. The three worked together at the Camp Nou.

Guardiola won two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles at Barca, and the 45-year-old has two Bundesliga titles in two years as  Bayern boss.

City’s statement reveals that he nearly took charge when Roberto Mancini left the club in 2013, before Pellegrini was poached from Malaga to fill the vacancy.

Pellegrini, who signed a one-year extension in the summer, announced his exit at the end of his news conference ahead of Tuesday night’s Premier League against Sunderland.

“I have talked with the club and I will finish my contract on the original date,” he said. “I signed a contract for one year more with the clause that the club or me not use that extension. So I will finish on the original date. It’s to the end the speculation.

“They are not doing anything behind my back but I don’t think it’s good to keep up the speculation. I’d prefer to end it today, that’s why I told the press and the players and I spoke with the club two weeks ago.”