• City sources say United and Chelsea made late ‘overtures’ for Spaniard • Guardiola will replace Manuel Pellegrini at Etihad Stadium on 1 July

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Manchester City believe they beat Manchester United and Chelsea to the hiring of Pep Guardiola, with the Spaniard receiving 11th hour “overtures” from each club due to an awareness he was close to agreeing to replace Manuel Pellegrini.

Guardiola, who will replace the Chilean on 1 July to start a three-year contract, had previously been targeted by United. Sir Alex Ferguson met the 45-year-old in September 2012 during Guardiola’s sabbatical to discuss him one day becoming manager at Old Trafford.

Pep Guardiola to join Manchester City as head coach in summer on three-year contract Read more

In the end Guardiola chose to join Bayern Munich, yet sources at City indicated that United had tried to revive the deal, with Chelsea also making overtures to the Spaniard having sacked José Mourinho at the end of last year.

As recently as December, United viewed Guardiola’s favoured destination to be City, yet given the state of uncertainty over Louis van Gaal’s future at Old Trafford it is thought the executive were compelled to persuade him to change his mind.

Chelsea require a manager for next season having hired Guud Hiddink as an interim head coach for the rest of this campaign following Mourinho’s departure.