Will Pep Guardiola take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United?

Two questions almost every football fan has been asking recently: When will Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson retire? And who will succeed him?

While there's no clear answer to either, there is immense speculation after all Ferguson turns 71 on New Year's Eve.

The latest information, according to the Spanish media, is that former Barcelona coach Josep Pep Guardiola has met Ferguson to discuss the possibility of taking over as the Manchester United manager next summer.

Spanish paper El Mundo Deportivo claimed that the pair have been in talks and met in New York this week, with the 70-year-old Red Devils manager reportedly planning to retire at the end of the season.

Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. File Pic/AFP

Guardiola also has certain advantages over other candidates, including the other favourite Jose Mourinho. Firstly, he's currently unattached to any club, which would make his transition to Old Trafford easier. Also being 41-years-old, he's young enough to be able to create a new legacy.u00a0

Having managed Barcelona and stars like Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovi and Cesc Fàbregas, he's capable of handling the big egos in the Manchester United dressing room.

Pep's record of having won 14 trophies as Barcelona manager will surely work in his favour.

So while Manchester United fans will be hoping that the reports are true, it remains to be seen who actually gets the high-pressure seat.