---
title: "Pep Guardiola didn’t want De Gea and Luke Shaw, but one Man Utd star"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2026/09/09/pep-guardiola-marcus-rashford-man-city/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Shumail Sajid"
section: "Man Utd News"
published: "2026-09-09T16:30:00Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T19:53:49Z"
---

# Pep Guardiola didn’t want De Gea and Luke Shaw, but one Man Utd star

**Ryan Giggs has revealed that Pep Guardiola once told him Marcus Rashford was the Manchester United player he would have signed if given the chance.**

The United legend was speaking on [Rio Ferdinand’s podcast](https://x.com/RioMeets/status/2097605148096840143) when he recalled a conversation with Guardiola during a dinner. The pair discussed several football topics before Giggs asked the former Manchester City boss which United player he liked.

[Ryan Giggs](https://readmanutd.com/tag/ryan-giggs/) initially guessed [David de Gea](https://readmanutd.com/tag/david-de-gea/) and then Luke Shaw, but Guardiola quickly ruled both out.

Giggs said: “I’ve gone to Pep and said, ‘You know, who do you like at United?’ He went, ‘Well, who do you think?’

“So I went, ‘De Gea?’ He went, ‘No.’ ‘[Luke Shaw](https://readmanutd.com/squad/luke-shaw/)?’ ‘No.’”

## Marcus Rashford was the standout player

According to Giggs, [Pep Guardiola](https://readmanutd.com/tag/pep-guardiola/) then named Marcus Rashford as the standout player at Old Trafford.

He recalled the City boss saying: “I would take him tomorrow.”

> Ryan Giggs reveals that Pep Guardiola once told him Marcus Rashford was Manchester United's best player and that he would sign him 'tomorrow' [pic.twitter.com/Pac3Z4KqRN](https://t.co/Pac3Z4KqRN)
>
> — Rio Ferdinand Presents (@RioMeets) [September 9, 2026](https://x.com/RioMeets/status/2097605148096840143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The revelation left Giggs wondering exactly what Guardiola saw in Marcus Rashford at the time, particularly given that the conversation was centred on the forward playing as a centre-forward.

“And that just made me \[think\], ‘What’s he seeing, Pep?’ And that was obviously as a centre-forward,” Giggs added.

Marcus Rashford has since gone through a very different period in his career. The England international spent last season on loan at Barcelona before returning to Manchester United this summer.

Guardiola, meanwhile, has now left City after a decade in charge.