Would he have wanted to go public had the speculation not been so intense though ?
I'm not trying to apportion blame, more lamenting a missed opportunity
Probably not but that was beyond the club's control, the Pep coming to England story was leaked in Spain, Pep confirmed that to stop the speculation about his future at match press conferences.
In hindsight, as Pellegrini himself acknowledges, his decision to make the announcement was perhaps the wrong one but he didn't have the rug pulled from under him by the club.