Manchester City Planning Shock Swoop to Reunite Barcelona Legend With Former Boss Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is eyeing a deal to bring Andres Iniesta to the Etihad, despite Iniesta signing a 'contract for life' at Barcelona last October.

Iniesta played under Guardiola for four years at the Nou Camp, where the two enjoyed incredible success together. Now in the twilight years of his career, Iniesta is still a Barca regular but could be tempted away by the prospect of a reunion with his former manager.

Reports claim that Iniesta's influence at Barcelona may be dwindling since the arrival of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in January. Guardiola is determined to give his old friend the swansong that his illustrious career deserves.

Guardiola was a Barcelona player when Iniesta was coming through the ranks at La Masia. Admiring the young Iniesta's talents in 1999, Guardiola famously told Xavi: "You're going to retire me. This lad [Iniesta] is going to retire us all."

It was Guardiola's departure from Barcelona in 2001 which gave Iniesta his chance in the first team. By 2004 he was a regular for the Blaugrana and has remained so ever since, making over 650 appearances for the club and scoring 56 goals.

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Three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies are among the honours won by Guardiola and Iniesta during the former's time at Barcelona. The pinnacle was in 2009, when Barca won six trophies in a calendar year, a feat which has never been matched.

It is unclear where Iniesta would fit into the current Manchester City team, which boasts one of the most formidable attacking units in Premier League history. Kevin de Bruyne and Iniesta's countryman David Silva are unlikely to be unseated any time soon, and Iniesta will not want to spend his final playing years warming the bench.