Pep Guardiola extends cheeky offer to ‘great’ Manchester United icon

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Pep Guardiola has told Wayne Rooney he is ‘more than welcome’ to work with him at Manchester City.

Manchester United’s record goal-scorer Wayne Rooney caused a stir in the week as he revealed he would love to work with Pep Guardiola.

Speaking on the Stick to Football Podcast, Rooney said he’d ‘walk there’ if given the chance to serve as the Manchester City manager’s assistant.

Ahead of his side’s Premier League encounter with Bournemouth on Saturday, Guardiola was asked about Rooney’s comments and he was more than welcoming to the former striker.

Pep Guardiola reacts to Wayne Rooney’s comments

Guardiola said: “He can come any time, more than welcome.

“For our city, of course, he’s important, but he is a Red Devil, he is United but of course it’s nice for all of us.

“Wayne Rooney has been one of the greatest in this country of all time, so if he makes compliments for all of us, it’s nice.

“That comes from what he said from working that many years. He knows. He was there with United. He won one Premier League, Wayne Rooney? I don’t think so.

“He won a lot. That means he knows how difficult out is to be there and that’s why he knows how difficult it is.”

Could it actually happen?

Rooney was largely laughed off when he even hinted he could work alongside the best manager in the world.

That’s because the 38-year-old’s own managerial career has been a bit of a disaster so far.

Rooney started as a coach at Derby County and did an admirable job in difficult financial circumstances but things haven’t gotten better since.

He returned to DC United as manager but failed to reach the playoffs in two MLS campaigns and finished bottom of the Eastern Conference in the first.

Rooney then joined Birmingham City in October last year but lasted just 15 matches, winning only two, before being sacked in early January.

TalkSPORT host Simon Jordan was dismissive of Rooney’s ambition, saying Guardiola would ‘walk to Catalonia’ to avoid working with him but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Maybe he was just being polite but Guardiola appeared genuine in his offer and he’s not wrong about Rooney’s experience at the highest level.

Maybe it could happen after all.