Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is hopeful of securing Pep Guardiola as the club's next manager in the summer according to The Express.

The former Barcelona boss has recently admitted that he wants to get back into management eight months after leaving the Catalan side at the end of last season.

Chelsea have struggled to improve under interim boss Rafa Benitez in recent weeks and Wednesday night's humiliating home defeat to Swansea in the Capital One Cup semi-final has prompted Abramovich to contact Guardiola.

It is thought that the Spaniard will be inundated with offers between now and the summer from both England and around Europe but the Blues owner is happy to make him the best paid manager in the world.

Abramovich will offer Guardiola a staggering £18million a year in a three year deal along with a healthy transfer budget to build his own squad and style in West London.

Sir Alex Ferguson is currently the highest paid manager in England, earning £7.6million a year.

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