Barcelona star reveals why Manchester City transfer failed despite Pep Guardiola meeting | OneFootball

Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen has revealed details of a meeting with Pep Guardiola in 2016 and why what seemed to be a destined move to Manchester City failed.

Ter-Stegen is widely renowned as one of the best goalkeepers of the past decade following a trophy-laden stint at Barcelona, winning the UEFA Champions League with the Blaugrana in 2015 amongst a host of domestic success.

Pep Guardiola – who managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 – was appointed Manchester City manager in 2016 and the Catalan has since led the reigning Premier League champions to success hitherto undreamt of.

Under Guardiola, Manchester City have won six Premier League titles, their maiden UEFA Champions League title a historic 2022-23 treble season and a plethora of Carabao Cup and FA Cup titles to cement their position as one of the most successful clubs in England.

Guardiola made wholesale changes to the ageing squad he inherited from Manuel Pellegrini following his arrival in Manchester, telling fan favourite Joe Hart he had no future at the club owing to his inability to play out from the back – a key hallmark of Guardiola’s goalkeepers.

The Manchester City went on to sign Claudio Bravo for £15.4 million from Barcelona and though Bravo was ousted by Ederson a year on from the Chilean’s arrival, things could have panned out quite differently had Guardiola secured his primary target in goal in 2016.

In an interview with SportBILD last week, as relayed by Sport Witness, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has revealed the details of a meeting with Guardiola in Barcelona and how close he came to joining hands with him in Manchester.

“It was actually the case that we considered changing clubs. I wanted to be the clear number one. We (Guardiola and ter Stegen) even had a meeting in Barcelona. Pep flew here, and then we met at a friend’s apartment,” said ter Stegen.

“He (Pep) explained his ideas to me and that he would be at Manchester City starting in the summer and would like to have me. Pep really tried hard. Then I thought about it and told myself that this could be the solution to my problem and that the plan they have at City sounds very interesting.

“Looking at the last few years, it’s worked out perfectly. At some point I went to Luis Enrique and told him I wanted his permission. And he replied, ‘I won’t release you under any circumstances!’. He also said he would tell the club they shouldn’t let me go under any circumstances.

“I replied that on the one hand I really appreciated it, but on the other hand I wanted to be number one.  When he then said we should see how the pre-season goes, I almost lost my temper but I managed to control myself.

“I just said, ‘Listen, that’s my wish now. I’ll go to the board and just wanted to let you know’. The board also said they wouldn’t release me under any circumstances. Three weeks later, Pep brought my teammate Claudio Bravo to Man City. It was strange at first, but in the end I’m very, very happy.”