A former Manchester United captain has revealed just how close he once came to signing for Real Madrid.
Plenty of former Red Devils players have played for both clubs across the years, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, and Casemiro just some of the standout names of yesteryear to have worn both shirts.
But what about one man who played ten years at Old Trafford and was also named club captain during their heyday under Sir Alex Ferguson?
Which former Man Utd captain almost signed for Real Madrid?
Having joined Manchester United in 2009, the now 39-year-old won two Premier League's and one FA Cup during his time at the club.
But everything could have changed after he was approached by the La Liga outfit, opting to stay in Manchester due to the best wishes of his family at the time.
“I had the opportunity to sign for Real Madrid, in fact, I had a meeting with a club manager,” said former club captain Antonio Valencia recently when speaking to Spanish outlet Marca.
“I loved the idea, but I’ve always thought about my family, and my family made the decision. They told me they were happy in Manchester, they were happy, so we decided to stay.
“We didn’t move and thank God I spent ten wonderful years. Although I have always thanked the people of Real Madrid for giving me that opportunity to meet and know that they were interested in me.”
Valencia moved away from the Theatre of Dreams in 2019, signing for Ecuadorian side L.D.U. Quito. He retired just two years later after a spell with Mexican outfit Querétaro F.C.
In FourFourTwo's view, it was most likely Ferguson's lure that kept Valencia in Manchester, given the amount of respect former players have admitted they had for the famous Scot.
Manchester United are back in Premier League action this weekend as they host Wolves.
