Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed he could've been a Wigan Athletic star!

City meet Wigan in the FA Cup tonight.

Former Latics boss Paul Jewell approached Guardiola as his playing career at Barcelona wound down, hoping to get the last drop out of such a gifted midfielder.

“They tried to sign me, but I was not good enough. That is the truth," he said. “They were interested in me, and so were Manchester City when Stuart Pearce was manager.

“But I was old, really old, as a football player to come here to England and it didn't happen. They were so clever [by not signing him] because I was not good enough."

Jewell recalls that when he spoke to Guardiola he was hugely impressed by his knowledge of Wigan's players and formation.

“I got a call from Guardiola's agent and he gave me Pep's number so I rang him and left a message," Jewell said. “Quite remarkably, five minutes later he rang me back. He knew all about Wigan, all about our players – I was really impressed.

“We had a terrific conversation and he told me he would like to come and play in the Premier League. His wages weren't extortionate and he was all set to come when his agent called me a couple of days later saying Pep had received a mind-blowing offer from Qatar. So it was Qatar or Wigan."