Former Manchester United quarterback Rio Ferdinand has said he was wanted in the past by the two Primera Division giants.
After more than a decade spent with the grouping from Old Trafford, Rio Ferdinand decided to move to another team in the Premier League. The English defender made the transfer to QPR this summer. But claimed that in the past several clubs have been interested in his services, including Barca and Real. And he refused because it had a good time at United, and won trophies kept him close to the club from Manchester.
“I spoke to Roma and also there was interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona at one time,” he told The Express.
“But when I was at Manchester United and there was interest from other clubs I was winning things at Manchester United. So my head was never turned to go anywhere else.
“You tell someone from Manchester United or a team that’s winning things that they could go abroad and you would be hard pressed to get them to go.
“If Gareth Bale had been at Manchester United and winning trophies he wouldn’t have gone to Real Madrid. I was just turned on by winning. I wasn’t interested in going anywhere else.”