Take reins at Chelsea? You must be joking! Guardiola laughs off Blues talk

Take reins at Chelsea? You must be joking! Guardiola laughs off Blues talk Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has laughed off speculation linking him with the vacant Chelsea post. The 41-year-old is considered one of the bookies' favourites for the Stamford Bridge vacancy alongside former Blues boss Jose Mourinho and ex-Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez. Guardiola has enjoyed incredible success during his time at the Barcelona helm, but has only ever signed one-year contract extensions at the Nou Camp.

Centre of attention: Guardiola has been linked with Stamford Bridge post Speculation is rife over his future once again as he has yet to put pen to paper on a new deal, but he today laughed off talk that he would replace Andre Villas-Boas, who left the club on Sunday and was replaced by Roberto Di Matteo until the end of the season. Asked if there had been any contact, he said sarcastically: 'I speak every day with Chelsea. 'Villas-Boas seems like a great coach. The time (managers get) depends on the results, not on our abilities. I'm not capable of judging the reasons for his dismissal.' While Guardiola shrugged off speculation, Germany coach Joachim Low refused to comment on reports linking him with the vacancy. The 52-year-old was reported to have met with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in a Geneva hotel to discuss the position, but the west London club denied any such meeting took place.

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Low is in the Swiss city fulfilling a commercial obligation with German Football Federation sponsors Mercedes-Benz, but declined to discuss the issue. 'I have a contract as national team coach until 2014,' he told German tabloid Bild. 'The European Championships start in three months and everyone knows my goal. I see no reason for me to comment on media speculation.' Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp and his Swansea counterpart Brendan Rodgers were both far more forthcoming about replacing Villas-Boas, confirming they would not be interested in taking the Chelsea hot seat.