AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is to meet with Pep Guardiola in the coming days, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The newspaper claims that club president Silvio Berlusconi has asked Galliani to arrange talks with Guardiola, with the future of current Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri in serious doubt. Guardiola is currently in New York on his sabbatical after departing Barcelona at the end of last season. He said he took the break because he needed to "recharge [his] batteries" and he is not expected to return to football before the summer.

The newspaper claims both Tottenham and Bayern Munich have also made their interest in Guardiola known.

His close friend Carlo Mazzone, who coached Guardiola when he played with Brescia, believes the 41-year-old would only return to the peninsula to work with either Milan or neighbours Inter.

"He has friends here and was happy in Italy," he told MilanNews.it. "If he does return then clearly it will be to coach a team of great technical potential with important objectives. Let's make it clear, we talk about anything except football. At most I told him to keep going and always keep his feet on the ground. We are bonded by a close friendship but I do not get involved in his decisions.

"I would be very happy if Pep returned to Italy. Where could he go? Milan or Inter - there isn't exactly a vast choice. He has had his time in Spain and I think he could come here, though I don't know whether it'll be in a day, a year or five years."

Imagine Guardiola as coach, Baggio as his second, and Maldini as technical director or something. Too much awesomeness!!!

Big names but there is only so much they can do unless they plan on suiting up. I wouldn't be surprised if Baggio and Maldini would still be better than what we have even at their age but they're both unproven as coaches.

Does God want to return?

Firstly, if we sign Guardiola, then we obviously are going to increase the quality of the team with a few key players. Secondly, I said Maldini as sporting director, not coach. As for Baggio, you don't need to a lot of experience to be the second-in-command. Finally, like Fillipo said, it's the mentality that counts here.

Firstly, if we sign Guardiola, then we obviously are going to increase the quality of the team with a few key players. Secondly, I said Maldini as sporting director, not coach. As for Baggio, you don't need to a lot of experience to be the second-in-command. Finally, like Fillipo said, it's the mentality that counts here.

I agree with you both that Maldini especially brings an aura of excellence (Baggio too of course but Paolo's decades give him extra clout). Of the three Pep is the one I'd be least excited about. I'm not completely sold on him in an atmosphere other than Barca. Also if he gets the injection of funds (which I think is our real problem) I'll feel that Allegri was hard done. At that point he'd be pretty much a scapegoat and stop gap just like Leonardo.