Nolito: ‘I made the best decision’ to join Pep Guardiola at Man City over Barcelona

A chance to reunite with new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and the lure of Premier League football made Nolito opt for a move to England over a return to Spanish champions Barcelona, the winger has said.

Nolito spent one season under Guardiola at Barcelona but was used sparingly by the manager, who gave the 29-year-old just two substitute appearances during the entire 2010/11 campaign before selling him to Portuguese side Benfica.

“The truth is I enjoyed working with him in Barcelona even though it wasn’t much time. It’s a reason for me to come here but not the only one.

“But it was also about City, they have a great team ... the truth is I will try to help this club achieve great things. I am very proud of Barcelona’s interest but now I am here and I think I made the best decision to come here.

“I have come to the Premier League to play with City and under Guardiola, who will play me in the first team, and I am very happy with the decision I took.”

Big-spending City are in the midst of a major rebuild after they stumbled to a fourth-place finish in a disappointing 2015/16 campaign, having added four players, including Nolito and German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, to their ranks.

Former Bayern Munich coach Guardiola will open his first season in England with a home clash against David Moyes' Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on August 13.

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Nolito: ‘I made the best decision’ to join Pep Guardiola at Man City over Barcelona

Saying working with Pep Guardiola was 'a reason but not the only one' Nolito added 'it was also about City, they have a great team' in his decision to come to England.