Pep Guardiola claims Manchester United can't afford Bayern Munich's superstars

Louis van Gaal and Pep Guardiola when the Dutchman was Barcelona manager

Pep Guardiola has taken a dig at Manchester United revealing that the English club made approaches to sign some of his players in the summer.

The English giants spent over £150 million on new players in the summer transfer window, but Guardiola insisted that even their financial might is not enough to buy his players. He referred to the current Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, a mentor during his Barcelona playing days, as “my friend”.

“They didn’t have enough money,” Guardiola said. “I saw they spent a lot of money and it’s good for my friend Louis. It’s part of the game. All of the clubs in the world want the players of anther club, but it depends on the player. If the player wants to play he will play. If he wants to stay he will stay. Manchester wants these kinds of players.”

United were rumoured to have made approaches for Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben in the summer. Van Gaal, a former manager at Bayern was seemingly interested in players he ha previously worked with.

The 43-year-old also insisted that the 3-time European champions’ decline should be a lesson for the elite clubs who consider themselves untouchable.

“It’s a good lesson for the big clubs,” Guardiola said when asked about United not being in the Champions League. “They think ‘we are unbeatable and strong’ and they are not here and maybe the next season they are out.

“That’s why football is magnificent. Every single week you have to be ready. Every week you have got to show you are ready. A bad 45 minutes and you’re out.”