Stoichkov: I can see Guardiola joining Manchester City

Jan 9, 2013 2:55:00 PM

The Bulgaria legend has a feeling his former Barcelona team-mate could be on his way to the Premier League, and has hailed Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi

Former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov believes that Pep Guardiola is destined to take charge of Manchester City at some point in the future.

The 41-year-old recently confirmed that he intends to return to coaching in the 2013-14 campaign, and clubs such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal all believed to be interested in him, with the latter being his personal preference if he were to move to the Premier League, as Goal.com exclusively revealed.

"I can see Guardiola move to Manchester City. The Txiki Begiristain-Pep Guardiola tandem worked miracles at Barca in the past," Stoichkov to Esports Cope.

The former Bulgaria star then went on to praise 2012 Fifa Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi following his extraordinary performances.

"It is fantastic for a player to win the Ballon d'Or. It's the work of so many different people," he continued.

"I am pretty sure that Messi will go on to win the Ballon d'Or a few more times, and he fully deserves it. There has not been a player as spectacular and complete as him in the past 10 years.

"And he's surrounded by even more outstanding players."

Messi became the first player ever to win the trophy four years in succession when he lifted the Ballon d'Or at the Fifa gala in Zurich on Monday.