Spanish police have twice searched a private jet belonging to the Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in a hunt for the fugitive former president of Catalonia.

Officers inspected the plane after it arrived at Barcelona airport from Manchester believing that Carles Puigdemont might be on board.

The former president, who fled to Belgium in October days after a failed secession declaration, faces charges of rebellion and sedition and will be arrested if he returns to Spain.

Spanish police are on high alert in case Mr Puigdemont tries to return. His party wants to make him the region’s next president.

Guardiola, who has long supported independence for Catalonia, was told that police were looking for Mr Puigdemont when the searches of his aircraft took