Pep Guardiola has confirmed that he asked Arsene Wenger if he could join Arsenal after he left Barcelona, only to be told by the Frenchman that there was no room in his squad.

The Man City manager said it was his dream to play in the Premier League, and that he liked the kind of football Arsenal played, but the circumstances at the time prevented the move.

It’s something that has been in the public domain for a while, as Guillem Balague’s biography of Guardiola from a few years ago revealed:

And ahead of today’s Carabao Cup final, the City boss was asked about it and gave a few more details.

“I would have liked to have played for him,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports.

“I called him to make an interview and he invited me to his home, he was so kind. I said my dream is to play in the Premier League and I would like to play with you and I feel I can help you.

“Maybe it was a little bit arrogant but he had his squad and he said there was no space. I understand completely but I would have liked to have played with him. It was not possible, so no problem at all.”

And the Catalan outlined his admiration for Wenger and his management down the years.

“He likes one type of player, with quality and respect for the ball,” he said.

“They are things I like a lot, so if people say we play a little bit like Arsenal of the last 20 years then it’s good for us.”