Pep Guardiola bizarrely insists Erik ten Hag ‘can go to Man City any time’ after Dutchman was sacked by Man United – as rival boss offers his verdict over Red Devils’ pursuit of Ruben Amorim

Pep Guardiola has opened the door to Erik ten Hag visiting Man City after being sacked by rivals Man United and also offered his verdict over Ruben Amorim‘s potential arrival.

Amorim looks set to leave Sporting to take over at Old Trafford after Ten Hag‘s sacking on Monday, with United set to pay his £8.31million release clause.

The Portuguese giants released a statement on Tuesday afternoon to the market confirming United’s intent to replace Ten Hag with their highly-rated head coach.

Now, ahead of Amorim’s arrival, Man City boss Guardiola has offered his opinion on the potential appointment and admitted he’s heard ‘very good things’.

Speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Tottenham, Guardiola said: ‘All I can say is that I played against Ruben and his Sporting and their pressure was very, very good. 

Ruben Amorim (left) is in talks to become the next manager of Manchester United following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag (right)

Ahead of his arrival, Man City boss Pep Guardiola has delivered his verdict on Amorim

‘I spoke to Matheus Nunes, who was coached by him, and he told me very good things. This season they haven’t lost – or won any games – in the Portuguese League, in the Champions League they have the same points as us’, he said.

‘I have the feeling that Man. United [also], from what I hear from him, is a good coach. Manchester United wants coaches of that level. It’s not that the coaches who have been there in the last five, six, seven years weren’t capable of being at Man United. 

‘What will happen, we don’t know. What happened here with my experience doesn’t mean it will happen with others, because we’re talking about the coach, the club, the structure, the physiotherapists, the doctors, the players. 

‘There are many things. What happened here doesn’t mean it can happen elsewhere,’ he added. 

Guardiola locked horns with Amorim back in the 2021-22 campaign, where City beat Sporting 5-0 away from home before a stalemate draw in their second leg. 

United, meanwhile, opted to keep faith with Ten Hag after his FA Cup win, despite holding talks with several alternatives – before sacking him nine games into the season.

Strangely, when asked about his relationship with the sacked Ten Hag, Guardiola opened the door to the Dutchman paying Man City a visit in the future.  

He said: ‘We are open to Erik ten Hag visiting us. Any time! Seriously! Always we are open, but I think it’s not going to happen. 

‘But I know his agent a little bit, so the relation is there, no problem for me, for us…’. 

Speaking on Tuesday, Guardiola had some kind words for his former rival, as he admitted that felt ‘sorry’ for the sacked United boss.  

Guardiola recalled his battle with Amorim in the Champions League back in 2021-22

The City boss also admitted that Ten Hag can pay Man City a visit ‘any time’ after his dismissal

‘Always I feel sorry for managers [when they are sacked], you know?’ Guardiola said at a press conference. ‘He’s lost his position, so I’m so sorry for him. 

‘I have a good, I think incredible relationship [with him]. I think he represented Manchester United at the highest level in terms of behaviours, of course.

‘Our job as managers is one of the few jobs – in all the jobs in the world – where people are expecting to be sacked. People are expecting you don’t have a job.

‘I don’t see architects or doctors or teachers or anything… the people deciding [their futures don’t say]: ‘Get out.’ It’s only us. It’s our job, we have to accept it.

Guardiola went on to predict that Ten Hag will ‘come back stronger’.