Manchester United deny Pep Guardiola meeting

Manchester United have not met with Pep Guardiola to discuss taking over as manager at Old Trafford, sources told ESPN FC.

Reports in France suggested officials from Old Trafford had held secret talks with the 45-year-old in Paris last week. But ESPN FC has been told that was not the case and United are insistent no such meeting took place.

Guardiola has announced he will leave Bayern Munich in the summer and says that he wants to manage in the Premier League next.

Manchester City are the favourites to hire the former Barcelona manager and the view at Old Trafford is that the double Champions League winner is bound for their neighbours.

United manager Louis van Gaal is under contract until 2017 but, after an eight-game winless run, has eased the pressure on his job with three victories in the last four matches.