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Arjen Robben opens up about desire for switch to Manchester United

Dutch and Bayern Munich legend Arjen Robben has suggested he was very close ready and waiting to join Manchester United after dining with Alex Ferguson before his Chelsea move.

Arjen Robben opens up about desire for switch to Manchester United

London, April 5: Dutch and Bayern Munich legend Arjen Robben has suggested he was very close ready and waiting to join Manchester United after dining with Alex Ferguson before his Chelsea move, however, United never offered him a deal.

Robben was a budding star of PSV Eindhoven and was destined for big things when he helped them to win the league in 2002-03.

The player was linked with a move away from the side in 2003 and seeing the chance of landing the player, then United boss legendary Sir Alex Ferguson invited the player to Manchester for a conversation with him.

As a 19-year-old was given a tour of United's Carrington training base, however, the Red Devils following the chat never made a proper move for the player.

Robben later in the season, eventually joined Premier League rivals Chelsea for £12m under the new era of Roman Abramovic and Jose Mourinho.

He went on to win two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield before joining Real Madrid in 2007.

But the Dutch veteran now has claimed although he does not regret his move to Chelsea but he’d have preferred a move to Manchester United than Chelsea if a situation like that then evolved.

Robben told FourFourTwo magazine: "I had a very good conversation with him (Ferguson) over dinner in Manchester and we spoke about football and life.

"I also went and had a good look around the training ground and everything was good, but after I went back to PSV nothing happened.

"There was no real contact and the deal didn't happen. PSV were also negotiating with Chelsea at that time, so maybe they offered PSV more money? I don't really know.

"I spoke to Chelsea and I liked their plans. We had one meeting and everything was done pretty quickly.

"Had Manchester United offered me a deal straight after I met them, I would have signed there, but it didn't happen and I have got no regrets."

Arjen Robben has been one of Bayern Munich’s most important players and one of the club’s most important players for nearly a decade after his move from Real Madrid in 2009.

The 34-year-old has won 13 major titles since arriving at the Allianz Arena and is still enjoying an excellent campaign this season also with six goals and 10 assists from his 27 appearances in all competitions.

The player will be out of contract at Bayern in this summer however it is believed that the board is already negotiating with the player for a new deal.

Story first published: Thursday, April 5, 2018, 18:05 [IST]
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