Story highlights
Josep Guardiola will replace Jupp Heynckes as Bayern Munich coach
Guardiola won 14 trophies as coach of Barcelona before stepping down last year
The Catalan coach has agreed a three-year deal which will run until 2016
Guardiola has been living in New York while on a year-long sabbatical
Bayern Munich have pulled off a major coup by successfully courting arguably the most in-demand coach in the world – Pep Guardiola.
One day after Guardiola had talked openly of his desire to manage in the English Premier League, Bayern announced the 41-year-old Catalan had agreed to coach the German club for three seasons from the start of the 2013/2014 campaign.
“Pep Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in the world and we are sure that he can give not just Bayern, but the German football, lots of shine. We look forward to working with him from July 2013,” Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness told the club’s website.
The 41-year-old Guardiola stepped down as Barcelona coach at the end of last season after four years in charge of one of the world’s biggest clubs to take a year-long sabbatical.
Read: Messi leads Barcelona to new record
Bayern told CNN there would be no further announcements before the German season resumes on Saturday.
Guardiola enjoyed a hugely successful spell at the Camp Nou, guiding the Catalan club to 14 major honors including three league titles and two European Champions League triumphs.
The news of Guardiola’s appointment coincided with the announcement that 67-year-old current Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes will be retiring from coaching.
“FC Bayern today announces that head coach Jupp Heynckes has decided to retire when his current contract expires on 30 June 2013,” read a statement on the German league leader’s website.
“In his place, the club has appointed Pep Guardiola as head coach for three years from 1 July 2013.”
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Heynckes is currently in his third spell as Bayern coach having taken over from Dutchman Louis van Gaal in 2011.
After a second-place finish in the Bundesliga last season, Heynckes’ team lead the table by nine points at the halfway stage of the 2012/13 campaign.
Guardiola had been heavily linked with a move to England, with Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all rumored to be interested in appointing him.
The former Barca captain seemed to fuel those rumors by telling the English Football Association’s website: “I’ve always found English football very fascinating, just for the environment, the crowd and the supporters.
“As a player, I couldn’t realize my dream to play there but I hope in the future, I have a challenge to be a coach or a manager there and feel the experience of all the coaches and players that have been there.
“It is unique, to play in that league. I want to feel the supporters, the environment, the media and the style of the players and everything.
“I am still young, just 41, so I hope in the future I could be able to train there and enjoy that.”
