Arsenal
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Former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre has lifted the lid on one of the vital dramatic switch twists of his profession, revealing that he deserted a near-completed transfer to Manchester Metropolis to signal for Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal again in 2008.
In an interview with Poker Scout, Silvestre admitted that he was “midway by his medical” at Metropolis when Wenger made a late intervention that utterly modified his thoughts.
What was set to be a transfer throughout Manchester as a substitute grew to become one of the vital stunning transfers of that summer season, a United veteran becoming a member of their North London rivals.
Mikael Silvestre rejected Man Metropolis for Arsenal
“I nearly signed for Manchester Metropolis in 2008, consider it or not,” Silvestre defined, as reported by GOAL.
“I used to be midway by my medical in Manchester and was very near finalising the transfer. Nevertheless, Arsène Wenger reached out to me by a good friend to try to get me to signal for Arsenal through the medical.”
On the time, Silvestre was 31 years outdated and coming to the tip of a glittering spell below Sir Alex Ferguson.
The French defender had spent 9 seasons at Outdated Trafford, making over 360 appearances and successful 5 Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and the 2008 Champions League.
Metropolis, then getting ready to their takeover revolution, had already reached a provisional settlement for Silvestre’s switch.
Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux had been additionally , whereas Sunderland had made enquiries. However the likelihood to play below Wenger, one in every of his long-time admirers, proved not possible to withstand.
Silvestre was excited to hitch the Gunners
Silvestre revealed that the chance to hitch Arsenal appealed not simply professionally however personally.
Wenger’s repute for extending the careers of skilled gamers, as he had carried out with compatriots like Robert Pirès and Patrick Vieira, performed a key function.
Inside days, the transfer was sealed, Silvestre grew to become the primary participant to switch immediately from Man United to Arsenal in 34 years, following within the footsteps of Brian Kidd in 1974.
He went on to make 43 appearances for Arsenal over two seasons, serving to the Gunners attain the semifinals of the Champions League in 2009.
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/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F12%2Fraphinha-2-693dbddda1b15970105023.jpg?w=120&resize=120,86&ssl=1 "Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Raphinha scores brace for Blaugrana")
