Scholes: Guardiola wouldn´t sign with City now

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes does not believe Pep Guardiola would have agreed to become Manchester City manager in the club’s current predicament.

City announced in February that Guardiola would replace current boss Manuel Pellegrini from the start of next season.

At that stage, they were three points shy of eventual champions Leicester City at the Premier League summit but would win only two of their next seven league matches to fall out of contention.

Despite four wins from an unbeaten five games in April, this patchy form has returned in recent weeks and Pellegrini’s side head into the final weekend of the season yet to guarantee a place in the Champions League next term.

A point at Swansea City would be enough to deny Manchester United, who host AFC Bournemouth, but ex-Old Trafford favourite Scholes believes Bayern Munich boss Guardiola would think again if he was yet to sign a contract, while questioning City’s decision to announce his appointment mid-season.

“It is going to be tricky for Pep if he is coming into a club that is not in the Champions League,” Scholes told the Times.

“If it had been nearer the time, I don’t think he would have come.

“The Guardiola [announcement] didn’t help City at all. It undervalued the manager and the City players packed up.”

Despite their dwindling top-flight form, City won the League Cup for the second time under Pellegrini and progressed to the semi-finals of the Champions League after Guardiola was confirmed as their next boss.

Speaking ahead of the Swansea match, Pellegrini told a news conference that the decision over his future was “not the only reason” for City’s title bid falling short.