Manchester United's search for a seventh permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired has been thrown into sharp relief by a remarkable revelation. The legendary Scot once held a clandestine meeting in a bid to install Pep Guardiola as his successor at Old Trafford.
The Secret Dinner That Could Have Changed Everything
In 2012, ahead of what would be his final season in charge, Sir Alex Ferguson met with Pep Guardiola at a restaurant in New York. Guardiola was on a sabbatical after a trophy-laden four-year spell at Barcelona. Although Ferguson had not formally announced his retirement plans, he effectively offered the Spaniard the chance to take over the reins at Manchester United.
Reflecting on the encounter two years later, Guardiola humorously cited the language barrier as a potential issue. "My English was not so good and Sir Alex spoke a little bit quickly," he recalled. "I sometimes had a problem understanding him. That's why I didn't understand if I received an offer or not." He described the dinner as friendly and gracious, but the historic proposal's clarity was lost in translation.
A Path Not Taken and United's Managerial Turmoil
The offer, however, proved futile. By January 2013, it was announced Guardiola would become Bayern Munich manager that summer. Ferguson later wrote in his 2015 book Leading that he had asked Guardiola to call him before accepting another job, a request that went unheeded.
Instead, United appointed David Moyes on Ferguson's recommendation, a tenure that lasted just ten months. Since then, the club has cycled through six permanent managers, with Ruben Amorim becoming the latest casualty after his dismissal this week. Darren Fletcher is now in temporary charge, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly considered for an interim role.
Guardiola's Manchester Dynasty
Guardiola eventually arrived in Manchester in 2016, but at the blue half of the city with Manchester City. His impact has been transformative, turning City into the dominant force of the Premier League era.
His staggering achievements include:
- Six Premier League titles
- Two FA Cup victories
- Champions League glory in 2023
- Becoming the first club to win four consecutive Premier League titles
- The only team to amass over 100 points in a single season
In stark contrast, United have floundered, slipping completely out of title contention and finishing the 2024/25 campaign in a record-low 15th place. The man Ferguson envisioned building on his legacy has instead constructed a rival dynasty across the city, defining an era of football with a club that was once United's neighbour, not their superior.
Football history is shaped by fine margins, fleeting conversations, and missed opportunities. For Manchester United, that dinner in a New York restaurant over a decade ago stands as one of the ultimate sliding doors moments, a pivotal juncture that altered the course of the Premier League's modern history.
