It was a surprise, but it made sense. That was my reaction to Pep Guardiola's decision to sign for Bayern Munich.
After months of speculation, which linked him with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, the 42-year-old Spanish manager decided to turn his back on the bright lights of the English Premier League, opting instead to ply his trade in the burgeoning German Bundesliga.
It looked for all money that Guardiola was heading to Manchester City. The English champions had recently hired two of his former colleagues at Barcelona, Ferran Soriano and Txiki Beguiristain, and Guardiola seemed next in line.
He would have had the complete backing of the owners, who would surely have given him the necessary funds to satisfy his needs both on and off the pitch.
Sure, Manchester City already have a high-profile manager in Roberto Mancini but, quite simply, he will probably not be around next season.
The club had another disappointing campaign in the Uefa Champions League and Mancini isn't very popular with the players. Considering he probably won't win the Premier League, his future looks bleak.
But let's shift the spotlight back over to Guardiola and his decision to move to Germany. He picked Bayern because he considered his long-term career rather than immediate notoriety, profile or finances.
Guardiola could and would have made more money at Manchester City or Chelsea but he didn't want his life to turn into a movie.
He knows very well the kind of media scrutiny that managers are under in England and he wanted no part in it, at least not yet.
By opting to work at Bayern, he can coach a big team but still live in a healthy environment. Sure, there will be pressure in Munich, but it can't compare with what he would face in England.
What we can't forget when assessing his decision is the Bundesliga is one of the best leagues in the world and it will continue to grow.
Stadiums are full, clubs are financially stable and revenue is rising.
There is also plenty of talent around with the new generation of German players showing their worth with the national team.
Finally, when trying to understand Guardiola's decision, we must take into account that he is a man who has never followed the beaten path.
When he was a player, after leaving Barcelona, he could have joined any of the big clubs but instead he decided to sign for Brescia. Why? Because there was less pressure, less fanfare, and also because he had a chance to play with Roberto Baggio and a young Andrea Pirlo.
So if you take all factors into account, the thought process which led to Guardiola's move to Bayern makes sense. He joins a huge club with a healthy philosophy that is built to win and win now.
CNN's Pedro Pinto is a CNN sports anchor based in London, covering sport around the world. For more go to www.cnn.com/worldsport