Thiago Alcantara reveals how David De Gea tried to make him to join Manchester United, not Bayern Munich

Thiago left Barcelona in 2013 to follow Pep Guardiola to Bayern despite United launching two attempts to try and sign him

(Getty Images)

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara has revealed how his Spain team-mate David De Gea was behind Manchester United’s attempt to sign him when he left Barcelona, but he insists there was only ever going to be one winner for his signature.

The 24-year-old has emerged as the key cog in Pep Guardiola’s Bayern side after recovering from two serious knee injuries following his move to Bavaria, with the Spain international masterminding the 5-1 demolition of Arsenal in the Champions League group stage.

Having graduated from Barcelona’s hugely successful La Masia academy, Thiago appeared to be the future of Catalan football at the Nou Camp and looked set to be the one who didn’t get away – with the midfielder being compared to Cesc Fabregas and his early departure from his Barcelona career.

However, he struggled to oust Barcelona legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta in the first-team, and soon followed Guardiola to Bayern to begin a new career in the Bundesliga. United were known to be interested in Thiago, with both Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes trying to sign him during their respective reigns, but not even the intervention of De Gea could persuade Thiago to move to Old Trafford back in 2013.

Thiago told the Daily Mail: “There was never any firm proposal [from United]. David De Gea wanted me to join. He wrote a message on my match ball after we'd beaten Italy in the [European Under-21 Championship] final. But I'd have done the same with him. He is one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world. You always want to play with the best. But it was always going to be Munich.”

While Thiago clearly had no intentions of moving to the Premier League, United should not be put off a future move for the midfielder. With news emerging today that Guardiola will make an announcement over his Bayern future next week, United could be tempted to try and lure the former Barcelona manager to England and replace Louis van Gaal, and Thiago’s admiration for the English top flight could yet see him gracing the stadiums up and down the country.


 De Gea (left) attempted to talk Thiago (right) into joining United
 (Getty Images)

“All I will say is that it is an amazing league,” Thiago says of the Premier League. “It is probably the best league in the world but I'm very happy at Bayern and fulfilled with what I am doing.”