Graham Hunter believes that Pep Guardiola was amazed that Manchester United did not approach him for the manager's job when he was leaving Bayern Munich in 2016.
The revelation comes as attention turns to Guardiola's future in English football, and an apparent obsession with being involved in the greats of the footballing world.
It is a focus that takes in both Manchester United, and a long-standing desire to take Brazil to a World Cup victory, as Hunter explained.
Pep Guardiola: did Manchester United miss their chance?
"He is extraordinarily attracted to the greats of history," said Graham on OTB AM.
"When he went to Bayern Munich at first, his expectation was that his next club would be Manchester United.
"He literally could not believe that Ed Woodward made next to no overtures to get him at any stage.
"[This coupled with the fact] that Alex Ferguson had sent his brother to Barcelona to say to him that they wanted him as the next manager of Manchester United - rather than, say, Mourinho.
"Manchester City has been an enormous success, it has been pretty revolutionary for English football as well as City. I genuinely believe that the impact of Pep on English football will be a stone in the pond that leaves ripples for some time after he has gone."
It is very much the stature of Manchester United, however, that meant he believed he would be coaching across the city.
"United has a different history, a different tradition - it attracted Pep differently. That is where he expected and wanted to be.
"I apply the same criterion to Brazil; he wants to be part of history, he wants to take his slice of something that is romantic and beautiful in international football that allured him when he was growing up.
"He wants to be part of the historical infrastructure of the greats of international football. But, like Figo said he wanted to play for Manchester United but might not get the chance - Pep wants to manage Manchester United but now probably won't."
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