There are reports in Spain that Manchester City are already preparing for life after boss Pep Guardiola, who could even depart the club next summer.

Diario AS cite reports from England which claim the Premier League champions have recognised the cycle is coming to an end and they are planning for the future.

The former Barcelona boss has helped the Manchester club to back-to-back Premier League titles, amassing a remarkable 198 points across those two seasons.

The club won all four domestic trophies on offer last season – including the FA Cup and EFL Cup – but they are 14 points off league leaders Liverpool so far this campaign.

There have been doubts that Guardiola, who is in his fourth season at the Etihad, may decide to leave the club next year if results continue to stagnate, report Football Espana.

The 48-year-old, who previously achieved success at Bayern Munich, will see his current contract expire in the summer of 2021 and has recently indicated he will honour that agreement, should the club wish.

However, the Spaniard stated late last month that he’s “open” to the idea of a new contract with the Premier League outfit.

He said: “I’m so comfortable working with this club.

“When you are [somewhere for] five years it depends on the results. We will see what happens this season and next season.

“I’m open [to it], yes. It is not about what the club wants or not. For me, I want to see my players and the reaction of my players and everything.

“It is not as simple as I want to extend. I want to see the club, I want to see the players, I want to see how we are still working together.

“That is the most important thing after five years together. You have to feel like we can do it together and enjoy to work together.”

Reports in England claim Roman Abramovich has rejected a massive offer to buy Chelsea from US financier Todd Boehly as it fell short of his £3billion valuation.

Boehly, who owns 20 per cent of Major League Baseball team LA Dodgers, is the latest interested party in the Premier League club.

According to the Financial Times, he had a bid rejected by Abramovich, though the specific price is unknown.

He was educated at the London School of Economics and Eldridge is said to be worth £4.72bn.

Boehly also part owns Women’s National Basketball Association side Los Angeles Sparks and has shares in professional esports organsiation Cloud9, report Sportsmail.

The American may test the water with a follow-up bid, as Abramovich’s future with the club he bought in 2003 is uncertain.

He has also previously been linked with a move for Tottenham but he appears to have prioritised rivals Chelsea over the north London outfit.

A number of prospective buyers were understood to have approached the Russian last year after he took Israeli citizenship with rising tensions between his homeland and the UK meaning his investor visa application was delayed.

He had been planning on building a new state-of-the-art £500m stadium to replace Stamford Bridge but that has now been shelved.

Boehly’s attempted takeover is the latest American foray into the Premier League and follows investment group Silver Lake acquiring a £500million stake in City Football Group.

Abramovich used US merchant bank, Raine, to perform a strategic review of the club last year and Silver Lake were among those to have made an offer.

Britain’s richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who is worth £21bn, had a bid rejected last summer but did not rule out returning to the table at some point in the future.

It is understood that Boehly has been undeterred by the setback and is still eager to strike a deal.

If Abramovich was to leave, he would depart as the most successful owner in the club’s history.

Boehly would become the seventh current American owner of a Premier League team if successful in his takeover attempt.

There are reports that Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte keen to reunite with Marcos Alonso who he signed for Chelsea.

Transfer expect Alfredo Pedulla claims there is truth in English reports, which suggest Conte could look to bring in Alonso next month.

The fact Chelsea were banned from signing players by FIFA over the summer meant they had to hold on to the players already at the club.

Now that the embargo has been lifted, the coast could be clear for a reunion that yielded a Premier League title and FA Cup between 2016 and 2018, report Football Italia.

Alonso has played just seven times in the Premier League this season, with Italy international Emerson Palmieri moving above him in the pecking order.

Pedulla writes the Nerazzurri have already sounded out a possible move for the Spaniard.

Reports in England claim Pep Guardiola will look to rival Chelsea in attempting to sign Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake next month.

Aymeric Laporte’s long-term injury has left City short of options at the back and their shaky defence has seen them slip 14 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The 24-year-old who can play as a centre-back or full-back is seen as an ideal candidate to alleviate City’s defensive issues.

Chelsea retain an interest in a player they sold to Bournemouth for £20million in 2017 and inserted a £40million buy-back clause into the sale.