10 Players You Didn't Know Real Madrid Almost Signed

6. David Silva

The story of David Silva and Real Madrid is enough to make one think that the two are star-crossed lovers are destined to never be together. Filled with such bitterness and resent, the two can€™t stop themselves from being linked with each other in every transfer window, with the Man City playmaker€™s class, elegance and poise befitting the grandeur and spectacle of the Santiago Bernabeu. However, in the past both have had their chance to emblazon the Spanish trequartista a €˜number eight€™ jersey at the club, and neither have taken it. In 2000, an eager and sprightly 14 year old Silva went for trials at the Spanish giants, before Real coaches deemed him too short to cut it as a top-flight footballer. Unabashed, Silva has since proven them wrong in style, picking up two European Championship medals and lifting the World Cup trophy in 2010. In the immediate aftermath of that World Cup, it was Madrid who had the temerity to enter the fray for the 5€™6€™€™ midfielder, with Barcelona already locked in a three way battle with both Manchester clubs for the Valencia winger€™s services. While David Silva has stated that he only ever had eyes for Manchester City, Valencia president Manuel Llorente has his own suspicions as to why the World Cup winner ended up in rainy Manchester rather than the hallowed arena of the Santiago Bernabeu.

''I have to say that Silva did have the feeling that an agreement was to be reached, as Real Madrid had the will and willingness to sign him, but with the change of coach, everything stopped. It was then that Manchester City came in and closed the transaction. Let€™s say that although we had several discussions with Madrid for the transfer of Silva and saw that they wanted it. One day, they called us and told us their priorities had changed, and then of course, negotiations broke down and we studied their offers.€™€™ €“ Manuel Llorente, November 2011.