“He was the only player I wanted to sign this season because He has everything in football. I am a big fan of him and he is the only Manchester United player I rated very high”- Pep Guardiola Break silence as he reveals his best Manchester United star his attempted to sign at Man City but failed

Pep Guardiola has been described as “a particular fan” of one Manchester United star, having previously tried to bring him to Manchester City.

The Red Devils have bolstered Erik ten Hag’s squad this summer, aiming to eventually challenge City for the Premier League title.

Matthijs de Ligt, 25, completed his move to Manchester United earlier this month and made his debut against Fulham last week. United secured the Dutch defender from Bayern Munich for an initial fee of £38.6 million, with an additional £4.2 million in achievable add-ons.

De Ligt’s arrival brings vital quality and depth to United’s backline, following Raphaël Varane’s departure from Old Trafford at the start of the summer. Once considered one of Europe’s most promising young defenders during his time under Ten Hag at Ajax, De Ligt had his pick of top clubs in the summer of 2019.

According to a report from *The Athletic*, Manchester City was interested in signing De Ligt that year, with Pep Guardiola particularly keen on the talented defender. However, the report indicates that De Ligt’s representation became a major obstacle in the deal. His agent at the time, the late Mino Raiola, had a strained relationship with Guardiola, which ultimately prevented the move and led to De Ligt joining Juventus instead.

Now, De Ligt has arrived in Manchester, but on the red side of the city. He has spoken highly of Erik ten Hag, who played a crucial role in his development at Ajax.

“Erik ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career, so he knows how to get the best out of me, and I cannot wait to work with him again,” De Ligt told the club’s media.