Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wants Pep Guardiola to scrap plans of sitting out of the game for 12 months. The Daily Mail says Abramovich will try to persuade Guardiola to become Chelsea manager before the summer if he fires Roberto Di Matteo.

Guardiola, on a year's sabbatical in New York, has already given Chelsea strong hints that he wants the job next summer. But Abramovich, who is losing patience with Di Matteo ahead of tonight's Champions League clash with Juventus, is determined to land his man.

Guardiola has made it clear he will not take up a new position before the start of next season but Chelsea's owner will stop at nothing if he decides to fire Di Matteo just six months after he landed the European Cup.