Reds hope for Pep talks

Liverpool have targeted Pep Guardiola as their first choice to become the next Reds boss but the chance of landing him seems remote.

The former Barcelona manager is apparently top of a substantial short-list drawn up by the owners, FSG, as they search for a replacement for the sacked club legend Kenny Dalglish.
Guardiola would be a dream appointment but the Spaniard has insisted he wants to take at least a year away from the game after quitting Barca following a hugely-successful spell in charge of the Catalans.
The Reds hierarchy will hope they can somehow persuade him to take up the challenge of the Anfield hotseat but it is thought to be unlikely at this stage that he will be Dalglish's replacement.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is set to be interviewed in the next week after the Latics gave permission for him to hold talks while Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers was also said to be on the shortlist but he has decided against speaking to the Merseysiders.
Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has said the club will take their time to make sure they appoint the right man but they have wasted little time so far in sounding out targets and will hope to have someone in place by early June so transfer targets can be indentified and preparations for the new season are not disrupted.
Other names heavily linked with the post include former England boss Fabio Capello and Marseille manager Didier Deschamps but Martinez remains the favourite at this stage.