FORMER Manchester City star Fernandinho has claimed that Pep Guardiola once turned down the chance to sign Kevin De Bruyne.
And the five-time Premier League champion has hinted that it was all part of a master plan.
Fernandinho left the Eithad in 2022 after almost ten years with City in which he won an astonishing 14 trophies.
All bar two of those trophies came under the management of Pep Guardiola and alongside midfield marvel De Bruyne too.
And the Brazilian has suggested that Guardiola was preparing for life with De Bruyne before he was even in charge at City.
Man City signed the Belgian ace from Wolfsburg for £54m in 2015 after he had registered a stunning 44 goal contributions in a single campaign for the German side.
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Guardiola was the Bayern Munich boss at the time and according to Fernandinho was asked if he would like to sign the star for the Bavarians – to which he said no.
Speaking on the Denilson show, Fernandinho explained: “He [Pep Guardiola] was at Bayern and [Kevin] De Bruyne was at Wolfsburg,
“Bayern’s scouting department says ‘We’re looking at this boy, what do you think about bringing him here?’
“And Pep says: ‘No, no, no, I don’t want him, I don’t think he’ll fit into our team.”
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Guardiola’s decision to pass up on De Bruyne left him available for City to swoop in and snatch him away.
It seems hard to believe that the tactician would have turned down the chance to work with one of the best players in recent years.
But Fernandinho has suggested it was a pre-meditated choice with Guardiola joining City as manager a year after De Bruyne’s arrival.
He said: “The year passes, De Bruyne goes to Man City. Another year passes, Guardiola arrives at City. Did you understand? The guy knew he was going to City and sent De Bruyne there.”
If it was a decision that was thought out by Guardiola then it is certainly one that has paid off.
De Bruyne has become one of the best players in world football and has netted 98 goals and registered 165 assists since joining City while winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League in the process.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
