Pep ‘wants Alaba at City’ – but fellow Bayern star rules out move

David Alaba: Had hoped to join Arsenal

Pep Guardiola will face a fight to sign David Alaba after Bayern Munich offered the defender a new deal, while another reported target has snubbed talk of a move to Manchester City.

According to German publication Bild, the Bundesliga champions have tabled a contract worth €12m per year to Austrian defender Alaba, which if agreed, would see him commit to the club until June 2021.

The 23-year-old, who has operated in numerous roles under Guardiola at the Allianz Arena, is currently on an annual salary of €7m, with his contract set to expire in 2018.

Bayern are keen to tie the deal up as soon as possible in a bid to fight off any potential interest from Guardiola when he officially takes over at City on July 1.

Alaba is seen as the prototypical Guardiola player, with his versatility evidence of his world-class credentials.

He played left-back in Guardiola’s first season at the club, but has proved equally as effective when asked to play as centre-half or in midfield.

 

Neuer rules out City transfer

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has heaped praise on Guardiola – but has ruled out following his ‘mentor’ to City.

Neuer, 29, is rated among the world’s top stoppers and has been linked with a move to the Blues, where his current Bayern boss will replace Manuel Pellegrini in the summer.

But he told Munchener Merkur he is not interested in swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League – despite his respect for Guardiola.

“I am not affected by it predominantly because I like to play in the Bundesliga,” Neuer said. “I know which teams play here and what type of football is played. I like the way our team plays very much.

“I’ve still got a long-term contract, and everything is OK. It all fits.

“I’ve trained under a lot of coaches and always picked up elements that develop a player. I am always looking forward to new tasks, new ideas of how to play football – Pep has given us a lot regarding all of that.

“Especially the tactics, the football brains, how you interpret football, he is one of my biggest mentors.”