It would come as a huge shock to anyone realizing that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, a highly-sought after football personality, was brutally rejected by Arsenal.
Yes, the now-Spanish manager was once rejected by the Gunners many years back, but as a player.
Arsene Wenger on rejecting Pep Guardiola
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger revealed that Guardiola came to his house to ask if he could play for the Gunners but he was told his services were not needed.
“When Guardiola was still a player, he came to my home to ask to play for Arsenal,” Wenger said, as quoted by One Football.
“At the time I had [Patrick] Vieira. I had Gilberto Silva. I couldn’t take him,” the Frenchman added.
Pep Guardiola’s football career
Guardiola started his football career at Barcelona as a teenager in 1984, rising through the ranks to become an established deep-lying midfielder and for the Catalan giants, before moving to Brescia in 2001.
After playing for Brescia for a season, he moved for free to Roma, where he played for six months before being bought back by Brescia for £585,000. Guardiola only spent five months there before transferring on a free transfer to Al-Ahil SC.
Wenger, who was in charge of the Gunners during that period, had Patrick Viera and Gilberto Silva, two great players, who were the hearts of Arsenal’s midfield, producing the historic invincible achievement in the league.
Guardiola, on the other was over 30 years as at that time and was past his prime.
In other news, Sports Buddy reported that Pep Guardiola has weighed into the 2024 Ballon d’Or subject, backing Manchester City star Rodri to win the award.
