Pep Guardiola has revealed Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson reached out to him ahead of his Manchester City exit.
After 10 years of unprecedented success at the club, Guardiola will move on at the end of the season, closing the chapter one of the most significant chapters in Premier League history.
During that time, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has won 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League, a haul few in football management can match.
Ferguson retired from management in 2013, personally meeting with Guardiola the previous year while Guardiola was on a year-long sabbatical after leaving the Camp Nou to try and convince him to take over at Old Trafford.
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The Catalan instead took the reins at Bayern Munich before landing in the blue half of Manchester in 2016.
Ferguson and Guardiola locked horns in two Champions League finals in 2009 and 2011 with the latter’s all-conquering Barcelona side outclassing United on both occasions.
Speaking during his final press conference as City boss on Friday, Guardiola revealed the Scot had been in touch to pass on his congratulations.
‘I know I had incredible success during my time as the manager and it is nice to be there,’ Guardiola said.
‘One of the biggest, biggest compliments I had, I got a message from Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday, two days ago, and that made me so happy.’
Guardiola added: ‘He is the greatest in this country. The tenure, the time, and for many, many reasons.
‘I’m happy that Sir Alex Ferguson, the greatest could [see]… I’m pretty sure [to] Sir Alex we are not the “noisy neighbours”, we are the “neighbours”. Just “the neighbours”. And I’m happy that he has been watching.’
Ferguson has been a regular at Old Trafford since retiring. Ahead of the Premier League match against Liverpool at the start of May, the 84-year-old was taken to hospital for precautionary medical attention.