Pep Guardiola's decision to manage Bundesliga side Bayern Munich come July has taken Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger by surprise, the Frenchman admitted.
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The soon-to-be 42-year-old expressed his intentions to eventually manage in the Premier League earlier this week, but the announcement of his employment in Germany puts any such plans on hold, at least until 2016.
Wenger was one of the many left aghast at the former Barcelona boss' decision to take up management in the Bundesliga.
"He asked me a few times and told me a few times he would like to come to England, so I am bit surprised he has chosen to go to Germany," the 63-year-old said.
"Bayern Munich are an interesting club, Germany is an interesting league, well managed so it is defendable what he has done.
"I stayed here for such a long time because I feel this is the most interesting league in the world.
"I always encouraged him to come to England."
However, the French boss does believe Guardiola made a smart choice with the future very much in mind.
"It is not a backward step," he added. "In Germany, maybe along with Spain, they are a country with the best young players.
"If you look at the results of Germany in the Under-17s, U18s and U19s, in the last three seasons, they beat everybody.
"It is the football of tomorrow. Tomorrow's football will be played in Germany, certainly."
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