Real Madrid tried to lure Pep Guardiola to the club ahead of sacking coach Rafa Benitez earlier this year, according to Spanish journalist Marti Perarnau.
Guardiola, now at Manchester City, was managing Bayern Munich at the time and had already declared he would leave the Bundelisga side in the summer of 2016.
Perarnau, whose latest book "Pep Guardiola: La Metamorfosis" was published last week, told Cadena Ser that Guardiola's agent was approached by Madrid over a move to the Santiago Bernabeu for the former Barcelona boss.
"Between November and December last year when there was an important crisis with Benitez, Real Madrid contacted his [Guardiola's] agent [Jose Maria] Orobitg, asking him if there was the possibility to talk to him looking ahead to next season [2016-17]," he said. "I was there. Since the beginning it was out of the question."
Guardiola had a long career as a player at Barca and also coached the club over four successful seasons from 2008 until 2012, steering them to three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.
"I think Madrid knew what answer he [Guardiola] would give them but a big club always explores different options," Perarnau said.
City announced that Guardiola would replace Manuel Pellegrini on Feb. 1, less than a month after Madrid promoted Zinedine Zidane from his position as coach of the club's reserve team Castilla to replace Benitez, who was dismissed on Jan. 4.