Chelsea to Table £18m-a-Year Deal to Land Guardiola - Report

Roman Abramovich is reportedly ready to make Pep Guardiola the highest paid coach in England, if he agrees to become the new Chelsea manager in the summer.

The Russian billionaire is understood to be furious after the Blues' 2-0 defeat to Swansea City at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the Capital One Cup and is now willing to offer the former Barcelona boss a record £18m per year contract to take charge of the west London club, according to the Express.

Guardiola recently revealed he intends to return to a managerial role next season, after completing his one-year sabbatical in New York. However, the Catalan insisted he had no specific destination in mind.

"I will return next season because I am young, but I have been living the kind of life that I wanted and one that my family also deserved. I don't look back. You take decisions because they have to be taken, I don't look at the reasons. The rest is not important," the 41-year-old said.

Real Madrid Considering Benitez Move

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are reportedly weighing up a summer move for Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez, if Jose Mourinho decides to leave the Spanish capital at the end of the season.

There have been collective speculation regarding the possible departure of Mourinho from Madrid, following reports claiming the Portuguese tactician has been disappointed with Los Blancos' hierarchy and a few of their players. According to the Telegraph, Benitez has now been informed by third-party sources he could be a contender for the job, depending on the Mourinho situation.

The report also states Benitez remains focused on the Chelsea job at the moment and has not entirely given up hope of being handed the post on a permanent basis in the summer. However, after a second home defeat inside a week and also due to the continuous discontent towards him from the club's supporters, it is unlikely that the former Liverpool boss will be with the Blues next season.