Pep Guardiola inserted a clause into his contract with Manchester City that he would be offered the NYCFC job if he were to leave City. Manchester City and NYCFC are both a part of the City Football Group. 

“I am told on very good authority that in his contract when he signed his first contract with Manchester City, which of course remember is owned by City Football Group, who own clubs all over the world, he was asked and was given an option that when his contract at Manchester City expired or indeed he wanted to leave, that he would be offered the job of coaching New York City FC,” said football consultant Ian McGarry.

Guardiola, who has an apartment in New York City, took a sabbatical in the city in between his time with Barcelona and City.