I had dinner with Sir Alex Ferguson but decided to snub Man United in favour of Chelsea transfer

Arjen Robben, a former player for Chelsea, revealed that he came close to joining Manchester United following a dinner meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson. The individual, who was 40 years old at the time, became a member of the Blues after transferring from PSV Eindhoven in July 2004 for a sum of £12 million.

Robben had a tenure at Stamford Bridge where he participated in 106 matches, netted 19 goals, and contributed 21 assists. In addition, he contributed to Jose Mourinho’s success in securing two Premier League championships, two League Cups, and an FA Cup when he was at Stamford Bridge.

Real Madrid was captivated by his remarkable performance and subsequently invested £24m to secure his signing in 2007. Following a period of time in Spain and emerging victorious in the Spanish Super Cup, Robben transferred to Bayern Munich. According to the Manchester Evening News, he demonstrated his exceptional skills as one of the top forwards in international football.

He participated in more than 300 matches for the German club, achieving victory in seven Bundesliga championships, five DFB-Pokals, four German Supercups, as well as earning a UEFA Super Cup and a Champions League winners’ medal. Robben ultimately retired from professional football in 2021. Nevertheless, the outcome could have been altered for the ex-Chelsea striker.

Robben asserts that he had the opportunity to join Manchester United rather than Chelsea. Robben elucidated the reasons for the failed transfer to Old Trafford during a 2018 interview with FourFourTwo.

“During dinner in Manchester, I engaged in a highly enjoyable conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson, discussing both football and life,” Robben said. “Furthermore, I thoroughly explored the training ground and found everything to be satisfactory. However, upon returning to PSV, no significant developments took place.”