Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is a surprise candidate to take the Bayern Munich job next summer, reports say.

The Spaniard led the German side for three years between 2013 and 2016, winning three Bundesliga titles and two German Cups.

According to Sport Bild, all three of Bayern’s leading candidates to succeed sacked coach Niko Kovac as the next permanent boss in Bavaria are currently under contract: Guardiola, Ajax’s Erik ten Hag and Thomas Tuchel of PSG.

Guardiola has a contract at the Etihad until 2021 but Bayern hope to convince him of a return to Germany a year earlier.

The former Barcelona manager is the Bundesliga giants’ preferred option for the role, having already stated in 2016: ‘I will come back to Germany, maybe as a coach.’

Bayern chiefs are said to have remained in regular contact with the 48-year-old since he left the Allianz Arena, while they understand that he is not completely happy in his fourth year in Manchester.

Club president Uli Hoeness has underlined that the hierarchy are looking for a ‘long-term solution’ in the dugout.

Guardiola has enjoyed huge success domestically in England by leading City to back-to-back Premier League titles, breaking the 100-point barrier with the first before fighting off the challenge of Liverpool for the second.

Last season he secured a domestic treble, but he is yet to taste success in the Champions League.

City have also had a difficult start to the 2019-20 campaign, with Sunday’s 3-1 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield leaving them nine points behind the league leaders.