Guardiola, Coutinho and Silva caught up in intriguing transfer triangle

And it all ends up in Manchester.

It is a long way away from the opening of the next transfer window and an even longer way from next summer's. However, that has not stopped some of football's most intrepid journalists from squirreling out transfer kernels and potential managerial shifts. Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich team appear in formidable form domestically and in the Champions League, yet Spanish newspaper, El Mundo Deportivo, appear to suggest that the former Barcelona manager is set to become the new Manchester City boss. The report claims that although nothing is signed with City, Guardiola has agreed to be the club's manager in the future - with a start date of next season pencilled in. This, despite the fact that Manuel Pellegrini's City currently lead the Premier League. Txiki Begiristain, City's director of football, worked with Guardiola at Barcelona and has supposedly reached an informal agreement with his former colleague. City may have a nice welcoming for Guardiola too. According to The Mirror, the Manchester side are lining up Philippe Coutinho as a long-term, play-making replacement for David Silva. Silva turns 30 in January and City, the paper reports, are ready to raid Liverpool again. Jurgen Klopp, who is expected to take over at Liverpool, has told the club's owners that he can secure Champions League football for his side for next season. If he fails to back that up, Coutinho could well be tempted up the M62.