Where will the former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola be working next season? Why it's perfect Guardiola already has a successful and trusted relationship with City's chief executive, Ferran Soriano, and director of football Txiki Begiristain and the club are investing millions in a new youth set-up aimed at emulating Barcelona's famed La Masia academy. The backing of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan also ensures City will compete for the very best players. Why it's not City lack the long-term pedigree of a Barcelona or Manchester United and would be unable to offer Guardiola the historical element in which he places so much value. With the club's Abu Dhabi regime determined to move away from their big-spending days, Guardiola would be expected to follow the Barcelona blueprint, without the depth of experience and time which has made La Masia such a success. Why it's perfect With the possible exception of Manchester United, no major club offer the same stability and long-term working environment for a manager to shape his project. The arrival of financial fair play should also consistently cement Arsenal with United, Madrid, Barcelona and Munich among the "big five" revenue generators in Europe. Why it's not Arsenal already have a great manager in Arsène Wenger and, unless there is a major reversal in the board's outlook, there will be no vacancy next summer. Questions also remain about Arsenal's ability, certainly in the short term, to afford the players that would allow the team to win at the very highest level. Manchester United Why it's perfect Renowned as a student of the game and a man fascinated by its history, only United and Real Madrid could offer Guardiola the tradition and kudos he experienced as manager of Barcelona and a move to the Bernabéu would appear highly unlikely. Succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson will be a daunting challenge for any manager, but Guardiola is one of the few with the track record to pull it off. Why it's not Following Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford is arguably the worst job in football. From day one, the challenge would be to maintain almost two decades of unbroken success, so it is an instant pressure situation. Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand are all approaching retirement and question marks remain over the club's debt and the effect it has on transfer spending. Oh, and Ferguson will leave United when he wants - and there is certainly no indication that he is ready to do so!