Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made the shocking claim that he was offered the chance to sign United midfielder Paul Pogba in January.

Reports suggest the France international is unhappy under at United under Jose Mourinho, and that his agent, Mino Railo, was prepared to pave him a way out of Old Trafford by offering him up to the club’s closest rivals.

Pep Guardiola has been a long term admirer of Pogba, however revealed he turned down the move because he could not afford the United playmaker.

“Pogba is an incredible player … A top, top player,” said Guardiola, “I said no. We don’t have the money enough to buy Pogba because he is so expensive.”

The revelation came after Guardiola responded to comments in which Raiola described him as a “coward” and a “dog” earlier last month.

Pogba’s agent is understood to dislike Guardiola over the treatment of a number of his former clients, including both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell, both of whom Guardiola managed during his time at Barcelona.

Guardiola also revealed that Raiola offered him former United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan, another of his clients, and says he was confused as to why the superstar agent acted the way he did given his disdain.

“I will answer him; I don’t understand why I am,” he said. “Finally, the people discover my secrets – a bad guy. I’m a coward. I don’t understand why I am a so 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 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.”