10 Players You Probably Didn't Know Man City Almost Signed
9. Dimitar Berbatov
The madness of transfer deadline day in the summer of 2008 will never be repeated. The annual close of the summer window is usually built up by the media to be a chaotic, last-minute scramble with clubs frantically playing a human version of pass the parcel. More often than not, it turns out to be a disappointing and drawn out affair, with one or two surprise signatures failing to provide the entertainment for a full 24 hours. The same cannot be said for 2008, however. Not only was the script torn up, but it was burnt to cinders, as the future of the Premier League hierarchy was changed forever, with the arrival of the Abu Dhabi consortium.
No longer were Man City linked with overpriced and overweight party boys they suddenly had money to take to the chairmen of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. With Manchester United having courted Spurs hitman Dimitar Berbatov all summer, the wily Sheikh Mansour knew a clever ploy to gain instant respect amongst the City faithful was to pinch the Bulgarian right from under the nose of their city counterparts.
Suddenly reports were appearing that the Berbatov deal had been hijacked, with Manchester United gazumped by their unfashionable brothers, in a £34 million bid. Eclipsing Man Uniteds sizeable effort of £30 million, the Abu Dhabi group knew exactly what they were doing. It was certainly a clever tactic to announce their arrival in the Premier League, by flexing their financial muscle, and simultaneously unsettling their new clubs rivals. It may not have ultimately captured the skilful Bulgarian, but it certainly sent a warning, in an effort to set a precedent.
As we all know, Berbatovs head had been at Old Trafford for some time, and he had only eyes for the Theatre of Dreams, leaving City with the alternative of making the Brazilian Robinho their marquee signing.