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Guardiola In The Race, Ferdinand, Evra On Their Ways, New Stars Coming

Pep Guardiola could be an 11th hour target for Manchester United after comments emerged suggesting all is not well at Bayern Munich.

The Spaniard challenged the club with a back me or sack me outburst yesterday which could throw a cat amongst the pigeons at Old Trafford.

“The club must decide if the coach is the right one for the club,” Guardiola said in his press conference putting United on alert at the prospect of landing one of Europe’s most successful coaches.

Van Gaal remains favourite however and could be set to bring Kevin Strootman with him.

Such is van Gaal’s admiration for the 24-year-old that he is still prepared to sanction a move despite Strootman currently being sidelined with ruptured knee ligaments.

Roma would be reluctant to let the former PSV man leave after just one season and could ask for as much as £32m for him.

United could have hit a setback in their chase for another long-term target.

Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera was close to a switch last summer but talks collapsed after reports of fake agents being used in the negotiations.

And any hope of rekindling that interest could have hit the buffers this time around as his club have just qualified for the Champions League.

A 3-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, in which Herrera scored, secured Bilbao’s place in the competition next season meaning the midfielder is likely stay put at the San Mames.

United could also see another target, William Carvalho , slip through their fingers.

The rising Sporting Lisbon star was widely linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer but president Bruno de Carvalho has poured cold water on talk a deal is done.

“There is nothing inevitable. I am almost certain, if not absolutely certain, that William will continue at Sporting,” he said.

“You never know when a club might appear and be interested in taking him by paying the release clause.

“Now, William is very satisfied, he is happy and so are we.”

Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra look likely to leave when their deals run out this summer, but not if Ryan Giggs has his way.

“I do think they’ve got a role to play next season. I’d like them to stay on,” said Giggs in the Manchester Evening News.

“It’s their decision, their contracts are both up. They have both given massive service to the club and they are both fit and looked good last week against Norwich.

“I don’t see why not. It’s everyone’s decision – it’s Rio’s, it’s Pat’s and it’s Ed Woodward’s and whoever is the manager next year. I think it is a group discussion but I still think they have got a lot to offer.”