Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly turned down Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich six times, with the Russian reported to be “obsessed” about hiring him, according to The Athletic.
Abramovich bought the Premier League club in 2003 and has invested millions into Chelsea, to turn them into five-time Premier League champions, as well as UEFA Champions League winners.
But in his pursuit for glory, he has sacked 14 coaches including Mourinho and Guus Hiddink twice.
Thomas Tuchel is now in charge of the club and has guided them to the semi-final stage in the Champions League and the FA Cup.
But Abramovich has always been obsessed with hiring Guardiola as the blues manager. It has been claimed that he has followed the Man City boss ever since he emerged at Barcelona, where he won a total of 14 trophies in four years.
Chelsea made their first interest in Guardiola known back in 2010, when Carlo Ancelotti was struggling as the club head coach, and they revisited their interest in him for a second time a few months later once the Italian manager was fired.
A third approach is said to have been made when Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as Chelsea head coach in early 2012.
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Guardiola announced his intention to take one year away from management at the end of the 2011/2012 campaign. But it didn’t stop Chelsea from making a fourth approach ahead of the 2012/2013 season.
Di Matteo’s Champions League triumph saw him handed an extended stay but, after he was sacked in November 2012 and the pressure increased on interim managet Rafa Benitez, Guardiola was approached by th club for a fifth time.
A sixth and final attempt was made after Jose Mourinho’s sacking for a second time at Stamford Bridge in December in 2015.
