Bayern Munich’s World Cup winning captain, Philipp Lahm has revealed, how he almost chose to quit Allianz Arena and sign for Manchester United, while also explaining the reason behind his stay with the Bavarians.
The Bayern Munich youth product, who primarily played as a full-back throughout his career, has been converted to a defensive midfielder, under current manager, Pep Guardiola. The all conquering Spaniard, hailed Lahm for his intelligence, and has even claimed that the 31-year-old is one of Bayern’s five greatest players of all time.
However, things were not always rosy for the right-back who led Germany to it’s 4th World Cup title, last summer in Brazil, as he reveals during a recent interview. Lahm, was approached by English giants Manchester United in 2008, as Sir Alex Ferguson tried to bring the versatile full-back to Old Trafford.
Lahm, in 2008 had only a year left on his contract with the Bavarians, and contemplated moving to pastures new, in search of new challenges and a fresh start. The 31-year-old reiterated his desire to win everything with his beloved club, and explained how a move to Manchester United never tempted him.
Lahm, who has been at the club for over 20-years now, explained, how it would not have been the same for him, emotionally if he had moved to a different club and won the elusive 5th Champions League, which he finally won with his club in 2012-13, after years of heartbreak in the competition.
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Ironically, Lahm was included in the FIFA Team of the Year of 2008, as a left-back ahead of Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, nudging the Frenchman with 2% of the votes.
“It was a topic seven years ago because my contract didn’t have that long left on it at the time,” he explained.
“I thought about leaving. I thought about a new challenge. It was always the most important thing for me to be as successful as possible with my club, Bayern.
“Maybe I would have had the chance to win the Champions League some time before I eventually did. But it would not have been the same emotionally.”
Lahm in an earlier interview this year, had said- “There was a time where Manchester United made an approach for me.”