Jewell told the club's official website: : "I've spoken to him (Guardiola) and I was hoping to get him here last Friday. But when you deal in the foreign market so many agents get involved.
"If he wants to come, which he sounded very keen to me, then fine. He's a fantastic, world-class player. He was at Man City over the summer and I spoke to their coach Derek Fazackerley and he couldn't speak highly enough of him."