‘I Agreed a Deal to Join Man Utd – But I Changed my Mind Because of One Person’
David Moyes was relieved of his duties at Manchester United back in April 2014, after a difficult 10 months at Old Trafford. The Scotsman had taken over from the dynastic reign of Sir Alex Ferguson, and left the Red Devils stranded well below the Champions League places.
Deemed a harsh dismissal by many, Moyes will likely argue that he wasn’t backed sufficiently in the transfer market, after inheriting a squad that may have won the league the previous season, but had done so by performing at the absolute outer limits of its capabilities. The sole senior summer addition of Marouane Fellaini and the January signing of Juan Mata was certainly not enough to begin to rebuild an ageing squad.
The maligned head coach was forced to utilise the likes of Tom Cleverley and Phil Jones on a consistent basis, with the midfield contingent a particularly weak area of Moyes’ ensemble. Cleverley was supported by a 32-year-old Michael Carrick and a Wayne Rooney deployed in the middle of the park for the first time in his career.
Had Moyes been granted another transfer window, another opportunity to strengthen the engine room, then perhaps his fortunes at United may have taken an upward turn. The former Everton manager would’ve been deflated to have lost his job after supposedly agreeing a deal to sign a world-class 24-year-old deep-lying playmaker in Toni Kroos, who has revealed that he was set to complete a move to the north-west before Moyes’ sacking.
Kroos Says He Changed His Mind Over United Move
The midfielder didn’t want to play under Van Gaal
Developing through Bayern Munich’s academy, Kroos broke into the German giants’ first team during the 2007/08 season, but firmly established himself as a regular at the Allianz Arena two years later. One of the key pillars behind Bayern’s 2013 Champions League triumph, and then Germany’s 2014 World Cup success, the midfield metronome was one of the most sought after midfielders in world football 10 years ago.
Just months before travelling to Brazil to take part in the prestigious international tournament, Kroos was on the lookout for a move away from his home country, eager for a fresh challenge at a top European club. United were said to be monitoring him, and the German and his representatives went to meet Moyes to discuss a potential move, a matter of weeks before the end of the 2013/14 season.
After several rounds of talks, a consensus was reached between the two parties, and thus Kroos’ move to United was all but done. However, speaking on his podcast, Einfach mal luppen, the former Bayer Leverkusen loanee revealed how the prospective move ultimately collapsed:
“Before signing for for Real Madrid in 2014, I had an agreement with Manchester United. They sacked David Moyes , who I was still sitting with on my sofa in Munich. It was very nice for him to be sitting in our house with his wife. Then they hired Van Gaal and we both politely declined.”
Kroos’ words suggest he certainly wasn’t keen on reuniting with his former boss, who he had worked with at Bayern a few years prior. After breaking through into the first team and threatening the senior regulars’ positions in southern Germany, Louis Van Gaal’s arrival coincided with Kroos being shipped out on loan to Leverkusen. When returning to his parent club, the Dutch coach showed a reluctance to use the exceptional passer frequently during the 2010/11 season, a campaign that saw Bayern fail to win the Bundesliga title which led to Van Gaal being fired.
Kroos Enjoyed an Illustrious Career
He won six Champions Leagues
Several weeks after the deal with United fell apart, Carlo Ancelotti called Kroos during the 2014 World Cup, and convinced him to swap Munich for Madrid, joining Real in a deal believed to be in the region of £20 million. While Kroos had already established himself as one of the world’s best, he reached the upper echelons in regard to his status in football history during his time with Los Blancos.Winning a record six Champions Leagues in total, Kroos became the heartbeat of Real Madrid’s midfield for a generation, making 465 appearances in an illustrious spell at the Bernabeu. Described as one of the best passers in football history, just imagine what Moyes might have been capable of assembling had it been Kroos dictating play in United’s midfield, rather than Cleverley and Fellaini.
News
Germany legend takes the Ballon d’Or from Vinicius and gives it to his Real Madrid teammate
Germany legend takes the Ballon d’Or from Vinicius and gives it to his Real Madrid teammate close German football legend Lothar Matthaus recently spoke out about the possibility of Vinicius Junior winning the Ballon d’Or, expressing his belief that the…
Bursting with joy! Real Madrid star Antonio Rüdiger happily celebrates welcoming his three precious children! 👶❤️
In a piece of good news, Antonio Rüdiger, Real Madrid’s top player, welcomed his second child after an impressive victory in El Clásico. This is considered a special “ticket” with the greatest joy of his career. After the match ended,…
Cristiano Ronaldo sends 5-word message on social media after starring for Al-Nassr in their 2-0 win over Al-Wehda
Cristiano Ronaldo sends 5-word message on social media after starring for Al-Nassr in their 2-0 win over Al-Wehda Cristiano Ronaldo was on the score sheet for Al-Nassr against Al-Wehda Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo posted a message on his social media…
“Did more than Mane in 64 games”, “Clear of Talisca” – Fans hail Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr teammate after Al-Wehda win
“Did more than Mane in 64 games”, “Clear of Talisca” – Fans hail Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr teammate after Al-Wehda win Al-Nassr fans reacted on social media Al-Nassr fans on X have hailed Cristiano Ronaldo’s new teammate, Angelo Gabriel after he…
Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-agent once dropped a bombshell – claimed the Real Madrid icon lost Ballon d’Or because he left the club!👀💣😳
“For me, it is an injustice” – When Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-agent claimed Real Madrid icon didn’t win Ballon d’Or because he left club When Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-agent claimed Real Madrid icon didn’t win Ballon d’Or in because he left club…
Fans ridicule Kounde’s fashion campaign: ‘I miss when football players would just play football’
Fans ridicule Kounde’s fashion campaign: ‘I miss when football players would just play football’ Jules Kounde has become the face of Jacquemus’ latest campaign, titled “La Casa.” The promotional video features the Barcelona star in an unusual setup, drawing significant attention and a…
End of content
No more pages to load