What happened?
It has been alleged that Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has virtually agreed to join Real Madrid after he declined to pledge his long-term future to his boyhood club.
The rumors have been the subject of discussion, with Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney chipping in with his own story of coming close to departing his club for Spain.
What Wayne Rooney Said
In his BBC Sport column, Rooney explained that he requested to leave Manchester United in 2010 and was pursued by three of the world’s biggest clubs—Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Barcelona.
Although everybody thought Manchester City was available, Rooney stated a move there was never an option to him.
He seriously considered playing for Spain at that time. Real Madrid had almost signed him for a couple of days, but Barcelona was the one he was most drawn to.
He could envision playing with legends Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, and Busquets in their mythical squad. But he chose to stay at United.
Rooney conceded that Barcelona’s squad when he was of age was so gifted that any player would have loved to have played in it.
His tale is symptomatic of the way even dedicated club greats can be swayed by transfers to the greatest European clubs—just as with the latest gossip surrounding Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid.
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