Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes that incoming Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola would have turned down their approach if they had asked him now instead of a few months ago.
Guardiola will take over this summer from Manuel Pellegrini, after agreeing a deal in February.
Immediately after the deal was announced, City’s form tailed off, and they slipped out of the title race, despite reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history.
United legend Scholes, who made 718 appearances for the Red Devils between 1992 and 2013 and these days co-owns non-league Salford City, reckons if City had waited until the season was over, they would not got their man.
‘It is going to be tricky for Pep if he is coming into a club that is not in the Champions League.’ Scholes told The Times. ‘If it had been nearer the time, I don’t think he would have come.
‘The Guardiola thing didn’t help City at all. It undervalued the manager (Pellegrini) and the City players packed up.’
Guardiola will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, having secured the Bundesliga title.
City will finish fourth in the Premier League if they gain at least a point against Swansea City tomorrow. Scholes’ former club United can still overtake them if they beat Bournemouth, but they need City to fall to defeat.
As for the outgoing Pellegrini, he has indicated that he would like to remain in the Premier League, and is being linked with the Everton job after the dismissal this week of Roberto Martinez.
By Steve Osborne                   @BlizzardSteve75
