Pep Guardiola wished "good luck" to Alexis Sanchez as the Arsenal forward nears a blockbusting move to Manchester United at the expense of Manchester City.

City engaged in a lengthy pursuit of a player the Catalan coached at Barcelona, with attempts to sign the Chile international on deadline day in August scuppered when Arsenal were unable to secure a replacement.

The Premier League leaders were reported to have agreed terms with Sanchez and his agent Fernando Felicevich for a January move until an approach from United emerged, with Guardiola's club understood to be unwilling to meet the lavish terms on offer from Old Trafford.

The finer points of a deal for Sanchez to join United, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan earmarked for a switch in the other direction, are yet to be ironed out but, speaking at a news conference ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against Newcastle, Guardiola denied there were any hard feelings on his part.

"I'm not a guy with mathematics and the numbers. In the end, what I know right now is he is still an Arsenal player," the Catalan said, before offering wishes of goodwill in the week he celebrated his 47th birthday.

"I think he is going to go to United, so congratulations to both of them. When the players have contenders they decide where they want to play. They decided that. Good luck.

"The players and their managers [agents] decide what is best for both of them. There is nothing to add

"My opinion of Alexis remains the same. It was a pleasure to be with him at Barcelona, he is going to decide to move on to another club and I wish him all the best."