Dimitar Berbatov has endeared himself even more to Manchester United supporters after recalling his X-rated reaction to interest from Manchester City.
The Bulgarian icon joined the Red Devils from Tottenham in 2008 for £30.75 million, where he spent four trophy-laden seasons at Old Trafford.
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Berbatov won two Premier League titles and as many Community Shields, as well as the League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
In the 2010/11 season he won the Golden Boot with 20 goals in the top flight and his dazzling performances earned him cult hero status in the Theater of Dreams.
But he could now be added to the legend group after revealing he had swore at his agent for being informed that the Citizens had tried to hijack his United desk.
Spurs accepted an offer from City but then-manager Mark Hughes never managed to speak to Berbatov as the former Bayer Leverkusen player only had United in mind.
Recalling the dramatic deadline day 16 years ago, he told The Telegraph: “They wanted to sign me on the last day of the market.”
“I said to my agent: ‘Damn, we’re going to United.’ Because of the history, the prestige, the players, the manager, the jersey.
“I never had any doubts that Old Trafford was the right decision.”
Berbatov was then met by Sir Alex Ferguson as he landed at Manchester Airport.
He said of their meeting: “I was shocked because it can be intimidating, and especially for me when I got off the plane and bam you see Sir Alex!”
“I thought, ‘What should I say, how do I address him, am I going to look stupid?’ I had all these questions in my head, but he was great.
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“He took us to Carrington and the ride in the car was like science fiction. I didn’t even know what to say.”
“It was a perfect day. Exhausting but perfect because I worked so hard to get there.”
Although Berbatov chose to move to United rather than City, the move was in danger of falling through – until Fraizer Campbell agreed to move from United to Spurs on loan.
In his quest for first-team football, United Academy graduate Campbell had been keen to link up with Wigan, but Ferguson informed him of the situation.
On the United podcast in January 2023, he said: “It was the international break so I was with the England under-20s or under-21s, I know I’m going on loan and I’m sitting with Steve Bruce, he was on this one Time in Wigan.
“So I’m going to go on loan to Wigan, just talk to people and wait for the faxes to come in so I can sign.
“It’s getting later, I’m waiting for this fax to come in and I get a call from a blocked number, so I was like, ‘Hello?’
“And [Sir Alex says:] “Oh, Fraizer, it’s Sir Alex. I’ll call you back in five minutes and you’ll have to give me your answer, but I have a deal for Berbatov that costs £30m and will only happen if you agree to go there on loan.
“’Well, I’ll call you back in three or four minutes with your decision. Speak to you in a minute.’
“And that was it. I had little intention of saying no.”