I turned down Pep Guardiola and won the Champions League, but now I’m rock bottom of the German second division

Published: 10:18, 5 Oct 2023Updated: 10:18, 5 Oct 2023

Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice’s decisions to turn down Manchester City in the summer are so far looking justified, but that’s not always the case.

The pair of England midfielders ended up at Real Madrid and Arsenal respectively, and have fit in perfectly with their new sides.

Guardiola is a master of player developmentCredit: Getty

But some players don’t have the patience to hang aroundCredit: Getty

Turning down City, and specifically Pep Guardiola, is a tough ask, though, and one that doesn’t always end well.

That may be the case for Michael Cuisance, although he’s adamant he can get back to his Champions League winning ways.

The French midfielder explained that he was invited in by the legendary Spanish coach when deciding his future in 2017, but still had to say no.

Speaking to sofoot, he recalled: “I met Pep Guardiola before I signed for Gladbach in 2017.

“He had been chasing me and wanted me to sign for Manchester City, and having Guardiola in front of you, in his office, is impressive.”

Cuisance, who is now 24, was at Nancy and just 17 at the time, but was well aware his first team chances would have been very limited.

“I finally decided on Germany,” he said. “The decision to reject Manchester City was not mine alone. It was a decision made in consultation with my family.

“I couldn’t imagine starting at City straight away. I recognized myself more in the Gladbach project. But we really had a big discussion with Guardiola about how he wanted me to play and how he had followed my development.”

Cuisance made the right choice with GladbachCredit: Getty

It eventually got him a move to Bayern and a European trebleCredit: AFP

Cuisance’s choice of Borussia Monchengladbach proved to be a smart one, becoming their player of the year in his debut season, earning an £8million move to Bayern Munich.

In Bavaria he became a European treble winner under Hansi Flick, reaching the pinnacle of the game despite his tender years.

Leeds United started circling the Frenchman straight after that victory, but a reported failed medical scuppered the £18m deal.

Since then it’s been a struggle for minutes, with the priority again landing somewhere he’s valued, first going back home with a loan to Marseille, before joining Venezia permanently.

Cuisance is confident he can get back into French considerationCredit: Getty

The Italian side seemed like a snug fit for Cuisance to refine his trade, however they were soon relegated, seeing him move back to the top flight with Sampdoria on loan.

Samp too went down the following season, and now Cuisance is in uncomfortable territory, rock bottom of the German second division with newly-promoted VfL Osnabruck.

Reflecting honestly on his sliding doors moment at City’s offices, Cuisance said: “I’m not sure if Pep still knows who I am because he has other things to worry about.

“But he’ll know me again when I’m at the top again. I am convinced of that.

“It all goes down quickly, but it also goes up very quickly. I myself am 24 years old, I have experienced many things, good and not so good, and now I know what I have to do to stay at the highest level.”