Manchester United were stunned when they learned that Pep Guardiola would become Manchester City manager in December 2015, with the Old Trafford hierarchy believing that negotiations with the Catalan’s camp were so productive that they were confident they would appoint him.
The revelation comes in a new book on modern football by this writer, States of Play, that details the “genuine shock” at United at the time.
Guardiola’s future was one of the primary themes of 2015, as it became apparent that he would be leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the 2015-16 season.
And he would join Manchester City in 2016, with the club building their project around the prospect of appointing the Catalan, having already installed his closest contacts from the 2008-12 golden era at Barcelona, including chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain.
Before Guardiola ultimately established a football dynasty in the blue half of Manchester, United had felt that their history and stature would outweigh anything, especially with how Guardiola had discussed exactly such qualities through a friendship with Sir Alex Ferguson over the years.
The Old Trafford hierarchy were still speaking to the Catalan’s camp late into 2015, and were under the impression a deal was close.
There was instead real surprise when word got back to them by December of that year that Guardiola had opted for City, with United instead turning attention to his long-time rival in Jose Mourinho.
United ultimately felt that their financial offer was much lower than City’s, and it was later reported in Der Spiegel’s Football Leaks that the manager signed a contract worth £13.5m, rising to £16.75m, as early as October 2015.
Other elements also proved persuasive, not least how City built almost a perfect club for Guardiola. Ideal working conditions were offered.
There was also the feeling that, if going to a league where Begiristain worked, Guardiola would only go to his former teammate’s club.
That was due to a debt he felt he owed Begiristain for pushing for Guardiola’s appointment when he was a novice at Barcelona in 2008.
States of Play by Miguel Delaney publishes with Seven Dials on 7 November, you can order the book here