10 Players Who Should Regret Turning Down Man Utd

5. Thiago Alcantara

Adam Davy/EMPICS SportAdam Davy/EMPICS SportIn July 2013, despite strong interest from Manchester United, Thiago Alcantara joined Bayern Munich and shunned the opportunity to play for the Red Devils. He was rewarded with a slap around the face from Bayern boss Pep Guardiola. Alcantra had just called time on his stay at Barcelona, seeking first team opportunities. He didn't find that at the Allianz Arena either. The midfielder made only eight starts in a troubled debut campaign for the Bavarians last season, and was badly at fault in Bayern's 4-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup last July. Unimpressed with his team's performance, Guardiola delivered a rollicking at half-time and sensationally slapped Alcantara in the face. It did little to wake him up, because he would go on to give the ball away in the build-up to one of Dortmund's goals. Alcantara's season would later be wrecked by a knee ligament tear in March and he must be wondering if things would have been any better at Manchester United.
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Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.