Cardiff striker Craig Bellamy says Manchester United have twice tried to sign him, including a surprise attempt to lure him from Manchester City in 2010.
Speaking ahead of his side’s game against United, he Welshman says United made a cheeky move for him when he had fallen out of favour at City.
Bellamy had been banned from first-team training by Roberto Mancini at the time. The Italian claimed he was a disruptive influence.
A potential move to Old Trafford got as far as talks with his agent, but it soon became clear that the move would not be allowed to go through. He made a loan switch to his hometown club instead.
He told Wales Online: “It’s true – my advisor had a conversation with United in 2010, shortly before I came to Cardiff on loan. It was great to feel wanted, and I would have loved to do it – but it was never going to be allowed to happen.
“If Man City had agreed to it, then great. But point-blank they said no, and I never once pushed it. After Carlos Tevez had moved in the opposite direction the year before, I didn’t expect anything to come of it.”
The 34-year-old says Sir Alex Ferguson also wanted him in 2002. On that occasion, he used United’s interest to negotiate a better contract at Newcastle United.
