THE random world of football transfer stories – pick a player, pick a club, link them together – has come up with another classic. Barcelona legend Josep Guardiola is going to sign for Bolton. Apparently.

A deal for the 32-year-old would seem to be in no one’s best interests. Guardiola, who has hardly set Italian football since making the switch two seasons ago, has seemingly quit the game having left Brescia to back Lluis Bassat’s failed bid to become Barca president. He is considering retirement, but could no doubt be persuaded to play on should a healthy pay packet be waved in his direction.

Bolton need new recruits to counter the loss of Gudni Bergsson, Bernard Mendy and Paul Warhurst, but with wages the main stumbling block in the Mendy deal and negotiations on-going with defender Florent Laville it is inconceivable they would break the bank for Guardiola.

Not that such small problems have stopped the rumour mill, with a number of websites suggesting Allardyce will meet the Spaniard to talk terms.

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