Cruyff: United nearly appointed Guardiola instead of Moyes

Cruyff, who once played for United, is currently managing Israeli side Macabi Tel Aviv. Talking with 'Sky Sports',  the Dutchman revealed that Pep had come close to joining Manchester United before he ended up moving to Bayern Munich. 

"I've always felt, not now but before Guardiola went to Bayern Munich, I always felt there was a chance that Manchester United had the chance to go for it," the coach said.

"I think there was a moment where things were lined up, it was there, but Man Utd chose someone else, I'm talking many years ago, and he took a different way."

Although he did not mention specifics, it seems evident that Cruyff is referring to when United appointed David Moyes in 2013. Before this point Alex Ferguson had been in charge, and it was only once the legendary manager announced his retirement that the hunt for a succesor began. It was also in 2013 that Guardiola took charge of Bayern, after stepping down from Barcelona.

Continuing, Cruyff believes that it would have been a good move for Pep. "I think he would have suited a club like Man Utd many years before," the coach stated. "I'm not talking this era, not now, I'm talking like five or six years ago I think."

"There was a moment where things were aligned, that was the moment, and United took a different path."

Moving on, the former player claimed that Pep's success at Manchester City has come in large part due to the set-up of the club. Before Guardiola had arrived Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain, who had worked at Barca during Pep's golden years, were appointed as sporting director and chief executive.

"Everyone is talking about Man City, but people shouldn't forget that Guardiola kind of came to a warm bath," Cruyff claimed. "The main point for him was that for him at City there was Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain, who worked with him at Barcelona in a successful period."

"So Guardiola came, the club knew his way of thinking, and he knew their way of thinking. Obviously they are on one line from the start. Guardiola arrived at a place where they both knew how things functioned."