Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has supposedly turned down the chance to become the new manager of the Brazil national team.
The Selecao are on the lookout for a successor to Tite, who stood down from his position after Brazil lost to Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Guardiola is thought to have been one of the candidates shortlisted by the Brazilian Football Federation, alongside Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti.
However, the 51-year-old only signed a new contract with the Premier League champions in November, and he is tied down to the Etihad giants until 2025.
According to The Mirror, Guardiola has respectfully refused the chance to become the new head coach of Brazil, despite a personal plea from Ronaldo to his brother and agent Pere Guardiola.
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Ronaldo was supposedly told that Guardiola feels he has "unfinished business" in England, having tried and failed to lead Man City to the Champions League title so far.
Nevertheless, Guardiola admitted just last week that he would walk away if the relationship between him and the club became "broken", and he would not try to match Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger's tenures in Premier League management just for the sake of it.
"The moment I feel something is broken, I will resign or not extend. I continue to say I'm not going to stay like Fergie and Arsene," Guardiola told reporters at a press conference.
"The contract is just paper. I extended because I have the feeling we can still play good. But in the end, it's the results. If we are tired of each other, I will not finish this contract."
Since taking over at the Etihad in 2016, Guardiola has led Man City to a total of 11 trophies, winning four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, one FA Cup and two Community Shields.
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The Citizens are aiming to become just the sixth team to win three successive English top-flight crowns, but they sit five points behind leaders Arsenal after 17 matches this season.
However, Guardiola has insisted that the gap is far from insurmountable, adding: "It's complicated. When you win a lot, it is easier to handle situations. But on the other side it is 'oh, we have to do it again'.
"Arsenal have done brilliantly and better than us so far. For a long time they have not been there and they want to continue being there.
"But I see the desire from the way we played at Leeds [United], after the other contenders all won. We are close [to Arsenal]. It is not 15 or 20 points. I would prefer to be closer but it is not a big distance."
The former Bayern Munich and Barcelona manager has now taken charge of 378 Man City games, posting a record of 279 wins, 44 draws and 55 losses in that timeframe.
Guardiola's men will go in search of a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup when they welcome Chelsea, whom they beat 1-0 in Thursday's Premier League game, to the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.
Ben Knapton
