Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been discussing how his £50 million ($68m) move to Manchester United came about and why he could not turn down the chance to link up with the Red Devils.
The highly-rated defender headed to Old Trafford in the summer of 2019, having enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence at Crystal Palace.
Just one full season of senior football was taken in before becoming the subject of a big-money bid , with the 23-year-old having to overcome initial doubts before taking the plunge with a Premier League heavyweight.
What has been said?
Wan-Bissaka told the Players' Tribune on his career-altering transfer: "The first thing you notice at Manchester United is how big everything is.
"I remember when I went up to sign the contract at the training ground in the summer of 2019, we just kept driving past farms and woodlands, like middle of nowhere. I’m thinking like, 'Where are we? What is this?'
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"Then suddenly there it was and I ain’t seen anything like it before … the pitches, the buildings, the size of everything. It’s on another level. Everywhere you go you see the club’s history, with pictures and references to players, trophies, success from before.
"It’s massive. The biggest club in the world.
"It didn’t kick in at first. I’d only made my Palace debut not that long ago.
"I’m not gonna lie, I was nervous about the move. Was I ready? I felt like I had unfinished business at Palace, that they could still help develop me, before I moved on. I had always planned on staying longer.
"After being so eager to break into the first team, this felt like such a jump to a new life away from home, away from my parents and my family.
"But … it's Manchester United.
"These offers don’t come around every day, you know what I’m saying?
"If you say no, you might never get another chance. United tend to sign players for the long haul. They might not need another right-back for a long time."
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He added: "When I finally did meet up with the squad, I was worried they might look down on me, you know, coming from a “smaller” team. This is the club of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, David de Gea. Superstars.
"But really it was the opposite.
"Everyone was so nice and welcoming, making sure I was OK."
Wan-Bissaka's record at Man Utd
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed Wan-Bissaka an immediate debut at the start of the 2019-20 campaign and he is now up to 100 appearances for the club through just two seasons.
A right-back berth has been nailed down, but United are reported to be in the market for reinforcements in that area as speculation links them with the likes of Kieran Trippier and Max Aarons.
Wan-Bissaka will not be giving up his place without a fight, with the former England U21 international loving every minute of his time at one of the biggest and most ambitious sides in world football.
He said: "The feeling of 70,000 cheering you make a tackle, singing your name is … honestly, I can’t put it into words.
"The only way I can describe it is to say, I feel like I’ve made it.
"I feel like I’m home."
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