According to The Sun, Pep Guardiola was hours away from joining Manchester City as a player but snubbed move after being ‘shocked by style of play’.

After leaving Barcelona in 2001, Guardiola moved to Italy and had spells with Brescia and Roma.

The midfielder then moved to Al-Ahli but left the Saudi outfit in 2005 and was looking for a new challenge.

Football agent Tony Sharkey was asked to find Guardiola a club in the Premier League for him to have a trial.

The agent took him to Manchester City to watch a game against West Brom, however, Guardiola rejected the opportunity due to the direct style of play.

Sharkey said as quoted by The Sun: “I first met Pep when he was getting off a plane at Manchester airport.

“He looked like a Spanish tourist, in really relaxed clothes.

“I’d been asked a Spanish agent to find a Premier League club for him to go on trial – he was 34 and serious about coming here.

“We arrived and walked down the corridor and Andy Cole and he sort of bowed, like a hero worship.

“Then we went to watch the home game against West Brom I was squirming a bit because it was quite a direct game.

“David James was launching it for flick-ons and knockdowns.

“It wasn’t a great advert for the PL.”

Guardiola instead opted to sign for Dorados in Mexico.

Oasis star and Manchester City super fan, Noel Gallagher added: “He ended up Mexico – that’s how s**t we were at the time.”

Guardiola would end up at the Citizens but as a manager as he landed the job at the Etihad in 2016.