Pep Guardiola had "no regrets" for remark after Man Utd's Paul Pogba offered to Man City

Pep Guardiola insisted he had "no regrets" after revealing he turned down the chance to sign Paul Pogba on the eve of Manchester City's derby defeat in April 2018.

The Manchester United midfielder, 29, is out of contract at the end of the season and is expected to leave Old Trafford. Pogba has failed to flourish during his six-year spell in Manchester, winning just two major honours - the EFL Cup and Europa League.

Yet many believe Guardiola can get the best out of Pogba - despite his United links - and City are reportedly considering making a move for him. Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are also thought to be interested in the World Cup winner.

City have had the chance to sign Pogba before, of course. In April 2018 - on the eve of the Manchester derby - Guardiola told reporters the player's late agent Mino Raiola offered him the opportunity to bring Pogba to the Etihad three months earlier.

The confession came after Raiola described Guardiola as "a coward" and "a dog". Responding to the insults, the Spaniard said: "I will answer him; I don’t understand why I am. Finally, the people discover my secrets – a bad guy. I’m a coward [sarcasm].

"I don’t understand why I am a bad guy. I never speak with him so his opinion [about me], I don’t know. But being a guy who two months ago offered me [fellow United midfielder Henrikh] Mkhitaryan and Pogba to play with us. Why?

"Why he offer? He was interested in Mhikitaryan and Pogba to play with us? So he has to protect his players and has to know he cannot bring the players to a guy like me, like a dog. And comparing a dog is bad. It’s not good. He has to respect the dogs."

Guardiola added: "Pogba is an incredible player... a top, top player... I said no [to the