REVEALED: The SIX Premier League clubs (and Leeds United) who snubbed Michu before Swansea swooped for £2.2m bargain



If Roberto Mancini is having sleepless nights over missing out on Robin van Persie, then one can only imagine the mood at Tottenham's training ground every time Michu scores for Swansea.



There, at Hotspur Way, something of a dark comedy routine has been going on this season between Pat Jennings and Tim Sherwood, an exchange that usually ends with one telling the other: 'Don't mention Michu'. He's the one that got away. Twice.



And once he was going for free. But Tottenham are not alone. Sportsmail understands that Fulham, Stoke, West Brom, West Ham and Aston Villa were also told by an independent agent in Spain about the 26-year-old in the summer and encouraged to bid for a man who had just scored 15 goals in La Liga.

Summer steal: Michu has been a sensation since joining Swansea from Rayo Vallecano for just £2.2m

Who needs Michu?

Michu has taken the Premier League by storm since joining Swansea in the summer. Here's how his goal tally compares with the leading scorers at the clubs he snubbed... Premier League goals 2012-13 (as of Dec 31) Michu - 13

Spurs - Jermain Defoe - 10

Aston Villa - Christian Benteke - 5

West Ham - Kevin Nolan - 5

Stoke - Jonathan Walters - 5

Fulham - Dimitar Berbatov - 6

West Brom - Romelu Lukaku - 6

And one in the Championship...

Leeds United - Luciano Becchio - 14

The fact that those goals came for Rayo Vallecano, a struggling team that frequently couldn't afford to pay their players, wasn't enough to coax an offer.



The fact that most of the goals had come from midfield, and his release clause was a relative snip at £3.2million, was seemingly also ignored.



In Tottenham's case, the shame is a little deeper. Spurs were first notified about Michu in the summer of 2011, when his contract at Celta Vigo, who were then in the Spanish second tier, expired. It meant that he was available on a free transfer.



At the time, Michu was largely playing a deeper, more defensive role and Tottenham snubbed the recommendat ion of Gerry Armstrong, a former Spurs player-turned-Spanish football expert, to make a bid.



'Even then, it was obvious this guy was a different class,' Armstrong said. 'He played a bit further back, but he was so comfortable on the ball.



Before he was famous: Michu in action against Real Madrid in September 2011 (when he was still up for grabs), but Andre Villas-Boas, Paul Lambert and Sam Allardyce (below, left-right) all passed up the chance to sign him



'He had brilliant vision, could win headers, could pass, could shoot. There didn't seem to be anything missing.' It wasn't just a Premier League thing. Leeds, along with the six top-flight clubs, were contacted by a Spanish agent in the summer and, like the rest, did not act on the recommendation. Swansea stumped up £2.2m.



'He was offered, I think, to a lot of clubs in the summer,' Michael Laudrup told Sportsmail back in August.



'I think he will be a very good player here. I have a feeling that he will.



'There is a lot of value in the Spanish market right now. There is not a lot of money and you can get some very good deals. I think this is a good deal.'

That conversation took place in the week before Swansea opened their season against QPR - Michu's debut. He scored twice in a 5-0 win. Then he scored again in their second game, a 3-0 win over West Ham.

'He can score goals, but I think he can do more,' Laudrup said in the summer.



Indeed, he passes well, beats players, can poach and has a pile-driver in either foot. In keeping with Swansea's modus operandi, he is comfortable taking possession in small spaces, but he's also 6ft 1in and is superb in the air, making him a target for long balls and crosses.



Laudrup spoke of adding a Plan B and a greater goal threat in pre-season and Michu has given him both. His Premier League tally stands at 13, one short of Van Persie, who cost current leaders Manchester United £24m.



Paying attention: Spain's coach Vicente del Bosque says he will hand Michu his first international cap

A week ago, Vicente del Bosque, the Spain manager, took the unusual step of promising Michu his first international cap, almost two months before of the world and European champions' February 6 friendly with Uruguay in Doha.



Del Bosque spoke out the night before Michu scored his 13th league goal of the season in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on December 23.



A couple of days earlier, Sir Alex Ferguson had told his club's website that he had not heard of the Spaniard prior to this season.



He added that he would be having words with his scouting department. Fergie won't be the only Premier League manager doing that. Or Championship boss, for that matter.



Leading the way: Robin van Persie has scored the most goals in the Premier League this season

VIDEO: Here's what all the fuss is about...