When Manchester City finished second to Chelsea last season in the Premier League, many believed that Manuel Pellegrini won't make it out in the year-end performance review, per Manchester Evening News. But the Man City board decided to retain the Chilean manager and extend his contract up to 2017.

Even if the Citizens are at the top of the Premier League table with 18 points earned after eight matches, losing twice and winning six, Pellegrini's job security is still under scrutiny. As Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported, Bayern Munich coach and former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola will take over Manchester City in the summer of 2016 when his contract with the Bavarians expires in June.

Guardiola is close to two City executives, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano. The two have been a part of the great Barcelona team that won multiple trophies in Spain and Europe in the second half of the 2000s. Due to this friendship, rumors have sparked that there is a verbal agreement already made by both sides, as reported by Squawka.

One particular player who backs the choice of Pep for Manchester City is Barcelona legend and current Al Sadd SC player Xavi Hernandez. Xavi told Eurosport that Guardiola could easily help Manchester City win the league title.

"He would adapt to any team, any team. He would bring his fantastic touch of football. Pep is a very prepared manager, he's very meticulous, a perfectionist, he's got very clear mind for football and would be a success in any team," Xavi said.

Xavi and Guardiola have won two Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles during his four-year stint in Pep's time at Camp Nou, per ESPN. But when asked if the rumors of his former boss going to City in 2016 is true, Xavi has no clear answer.

"I don't know, I don't know. It depends on football and the results as we don't know what's going to happen yet. Maybe he will win the treble and his contract will be renewed, I don't know," the Spanish midfielder said.

According to ESPN, Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expects Guardiola to stay in Germany and sign an extension, but that seems to be untrue as he has not signed any deal even though they are having a great start to the season.

As for Pellegrini, the club's best player, Sergio Aguero is very happy with his manager, telling ESPN reporters, "I'm very good with Manuel Pellegrini, we talk a lot. I'm happy in the team and with him, but the club will be the one who chooses who comes in."