German football is on its Guard, as dominant Bayern Munich panic over the future of their world-leading manager - who is being pursued by Manchester City, and is admired at United, Arsenal and Chelsea.
While the champions would be thrown into chaos if Pep Guardiola opts against renewing his contract, the rest of the Bundesliga might just break out in celebration.
That's because the Spaniard's departure is seen as just about the only thing that can derail the league's runaway leaders.
While England's top four are separated by just two points, Bayern are already a frankly inexplicable 18 points clear atop the Bundesliga, dropping just two points from 14 games.
Even with Dortmund resurgent this term, they are still nowhere near - they're closer to 12th place than top spot.
So speculation over Pep's future has been welcomed in some quarters; seen as a remedy for an already dead title fight.
Even Guardiola appears to be weary of his side's successes, with the challenge of the Premier League a tempting alternative to steam-rollering everything in sight.
His ultimate goal, of course, is to lead Bayern to Champions League glory, something they last did on the eve of his appointment.
However, missing out on European glory wouldn't be enough to make him stay in Germany if an offer from England is forthcoming.
Certainly, there's a perception that Bayern are so woefully under-challenged domestically that they struggle to raise their game for continental crunch-ties.
Heavy semi final defeats to Real Madrid and Barcelona during Pep's tenure are testament to that theory.
There's also been the simmering tension between him and long-held Bayern traditions - the ousting of the medical team, the influx of Spanish players, the seeming refusal to decide on a contract before the winter break.
As it stands, Guardiola's most likely move, providing Bayern back down over demands he sign a two-year deal, would be to stay in Munich for another season.
However, he will have noted recent comments from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and his inference that Pep isn't 'all that'.
Which the former Barca coach would quite happily disprove in England.
