10 footballers who rejected a move to Manchester United

Not many players in the world can afford to forego an opportunity to sign for one of the biggest clubs in the world – especially a club which has a profile like Manchester United. But even giants like United have been snubbed by some players in the not-too-distant past.

Some rejected the club for riches elsewhere, while some just couldn’t let go of the chance to join their boyhood club. We take a look at 10 such players who passed on the chance to play at the Theatre of Dreams in order to pursue their own dreams.

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#10 Arjen Robben

The wily Dutch winger has been in United's crosshairs since his PSV Eindhoven days, when he was a young prodigy rising through the ranks in Dutch football. At that time, a deal was scuppered by United’s CEO Peter Kenyon, who dramatically moved to Chelsea and signed a lot of United’s potential targets for the Blues – including Arjen Robben.

Robben was on the shopping list of current Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal with whom he had a remarkable 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But he politely declined the chance of joining United, citing that he was very content at Bayern Munich.

He was quoted by an English daily saying: “I don’t want to join United. Even if United and Bayern are able to agree [to] a deal over a transfer fee I will not move to Manchester.”

This is as bold as it can get!

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