Pep Guardiola Says Manchester United Legend Wayne Rooney “More than Welcome” to Join Manchester City

Reaching the top is what brings the best in the world together. Fifteen years ago, no one would have expected Manchester City to arrive where they are now. It was Sir Alex Ferguson who felt that their rivals in blue could never be favorites to win the Premier League. But one of the Red Devils’ greatest goal scorers, Wayne Rooney, recently said, “For me, the best manager is Pep,” expressing the desire to join him. This gesture from Rooney flattered Pep Guardiola, who was more than ready to welcome him.

While returning the compliment to Wayne Rooney, Guardiola also acknowledged his greatness. In a recent press conference, he said, “He can come anytime; he’s more than welcome. He’s a Red Devil, so he’s a United fan, so yes. So, of course, it’s nice for all of us. Wayne Rooney have been one of the greatest, but greatest in this country for all time, so make compliments for all of us; of course, it’s nice.” The Spaniard also agreed that it was not easy for both great teams.

After the exit of Sir Alex, the Red Devils have passed the ‘best club’ in the league tag to their arch-rivals. Manchester United has won just an FA Cup and a Europa League, apart from two league cups in the last 10 years. On the other hand, Pep has won five league titles and a Champions League with a treble since his arrival, hardly leaving any breathing space for other teams.

Wayne Rooney, who as a player won five league titles, had earlier stated, “If Pep Guardiola comes in and asks me to be his assistant, you’d walk there. You see what [Mikel] Arteta is doing now [at Arsenal], and I strongly believe a lot of that is from learning what Guardiola was doing, and so it depends on what the situation is”. It looks like Wazza wants to be back in business after a disappointing previous stint.

Pep Guardiola could help Rooney ace the coaching game!

Rooney, who has managed three clubs until now, has faced a sack in all of them. As per BeIN Sports, his winning percentage is just 26% as he’s only managed to win a quarter of his games in a career spanning 3 years. This performance could be enhanced by a stint with Pep Guardiola. The Catalan manager is a well-known tactician with a brilliant market IQ. From developing possession and passing play like Tiki Taka and identifying young talents, Guardiola is the wizard that managers crave to become.

Managing clubs hasn’t been easy for former players in recent years. Even Rooney’s counterparts of the same soccer generation like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have not had much success recently. Even though Gerrard won the Scottish league with Rangers, his subsequent spells have been under par. However, Xabi Alonso has been in a different zone altogether this season.

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On the other hand, Rooney, after starting with Derby County in 2020, the club’s relegation led him to DC United in the US. Subsequently, the American stint also turned barren. He failed to make the 2023 playoffs, resulting in his moving to Birmingham City, where he was ultimately sacked in less than three months. Nevertheless, the soccer icon is not ready to give up and seems to be back after a brief period of rest.

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