Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola rejected chance to play for Manchester United after refusing to meet Sir Alex Ferguson
The cultured midfielder was in his final season at Barcelona, but didn't want to speak about his future until his time was up
PEP GUARDIOLA snubbed Manchester United as a player after refusing to meet Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Manchester City boss was in his final season playing at Barcelona in 2000-01 when Sir Alex got in touch with his agent asking for talks.
But Guardiola did not want to meet Fergie until he had kicked his last ball for Barca and the chance was gone.
Guardiola’s agent Josep Maria Orobitg said: “The first club that went in hard for Guardiola was United. They really wanted him. Pep never wanted to talk about it.
“He kept his word, even when it involved Manchester United, a club that any player would have killed to negotiate with.
“United pressed me but I couldn’t do anything. Pep hadn’t yet explained to the Barcelona president he wasn’t going to stay.
“United then gave us an ultimatum, they wanted a face-to-face meeting between Ferguson and Guardiola.
“They had to plan their team and couldn’t wait any longer.
“Guardiola said no to the meeting and United abandoned their interest in Pep, and even got angry.
“After eight months of discussions with United, never with Pep, always me, and rejecting great financial terms, it all finished.”
Ferguson did not give Guardiola a second chance in the summer of 2001.
The midfielder moved to Serie A side Brescia.
But Orobitg said: “Josep has never regretted that decision, he always accepts responsibility for what he does.”
Guardiola will be in the Old Trafford dugout for tomorrow’s Manchester derby.
Fergie will look down from the directors’ box and remember how 15 years ago he tried but, for once, failed to get his man.