|
|
Manchester United winger Nani almost joined Middlesbrough for £3.5m - football agent Barry Silkman
Portuguese star could have ended up on Wearside...
16 Mar 2010 13:59:00
By Zack Wilson
Manchester United midfielder Nani could have been a Middlesbrough player rather than ending up at Old Trafford, according to football agent Barry Silkman.
Silkman used to work closely with Boro but when he offered the winger to then-boss Gareth Southgate for £3.5 million the Teesside club decided against a move.
Eight months later Nani left Sporting CP for United in a deal believed to be worth around £17m.
"Recently, the biggest one I have missed out on, I saw a player in Portugal a few years ago called Nani," Silkman told sport.co.uk.
"I tried to do a deal with Middlesbrough who I was very close to at the time; I did a lot of deals when Steve McClaren was manager.
"I offered Nani to Middlesbrough and Gareth Southgate didn’t fancy him. He was £3.5million.'
"He went to Manchester United for £17m and it was only eight or nine months later, that’s all it was.
"Manchester United’s chief executive David Gill actually phoned Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb to ask him if that story was true! And Keith Lamb said yeah it is."
|
Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
Silkman used to work closely with Boro but when he offered the winger to then-boss Gareth Southgate for £3.5 million the Teesside club decided against a move.
Eight months later Nani left Sporting CP for United in a deal believed to be worth around £17m.
"Recently, the biggest one I have missed out on, I saw a player in Portugal a few years ago called Nani," Silkman told sport.co.uk.
"I tried to do a deal with Middlesbrough who I was very close to at the time; I did a lot of deals when Steve McClaren was manager.
"I offered Nani to Middlesbrough and Gareth Southgate didn’t fancy him. He was £3.5million.'
"He went to Manchester United for £17m and it was only eight or nine months later, that’s all it was.
"Manchester United’s chief executive David Gill actually phoned Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb to ask him if that story was true! And Keith Lamb said yeah it is."
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
Inside Goal.Com
-
Welbeck convinces Hodgson he is the man to lead the line
England beat Norway 1-0 at Wembley, with the Manchester United man hitting an impressive winner to stake his claim for a starting spot at Euro 2012
-
In Pictures: The best and worst kits at Euro 2012
The European Championship is just around the corner and Goal.com distinguishes between the trendy and the passe at the prestigious tournament
-
The five players Rodgers could sign to kick-start revolution
The new Reds boss was unveiled to the press on Friday and must immediately begin work on revitalising a thin squad with some additions in the transfer market
-
Managerial merry-go-round keeps spinning as Lambert takes Villa job
The Scot officially left Norwich City on Saturday to become the second new boss in June, following the appointment of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool on Friday
-
Rodgers ushers in new Anfield era on his own terms
The Northern Irishman inevitably expressed his delight at landing the Reds job but evidenced plenty of the steely resolve which could see him become a success at Anfield
