MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 2: Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between Atletico Madrid v Girona at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on April 2, 2019 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)

The ex-Atletico Madrid defender and captain Diego Godin opens up on why he rejected a move to European giants Manchester United and Juventus…

Back in 2018, Manchester United ad reportedly bid for Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin and had their bid rejected by the Spanish club. Per Sky Sports, United had bid €25 million for the Uruguayan center back on transfer deadline day which was eventually rejected. United were in the market for a new center back at that time and were considering various options like Godin, Yerry Mina, Jerome Boateng and Toby Alderweireld to name a few.

Diego Godin sure would have added some experience to the Manchester United back line and his leadership qualities would’ve made the United defense stronger as the Red Devils are weakest at the back with most of the defenders either being inconsistent or inexperienced. Godin reportedly declined the move and it was but obvious that Diego Simeone would not have let his main man leave the club.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport over the weekend, now Inter player, Diego Godin revealed why he chose to reject a move to Manchester United. The center back also revealed that he had received offers from Manchester City and Juventus. He had the following to say :

“Yes, a year ago there were offers from Juventus, Manchester United, in the past also Man City. “But at that moment I had a contract in force with Atletico, I didn’t think of leaving.”

Diego Godin enjoyed a successful 9 year spell at Atletico Madrid where he won the La Liga once in 2013-14 ending Real Madrid and FC Barcelona’s dominance in the league, the Europa League twice in 2011-12 and 2017-18, the Copa Del Rey in 2102-13 and helped Atletico reach the Champions league finals on two occasions. Godin was undisputedly the best defender in the Atletico squad and was irreplaceable in Diego Simeone’s back line. However, the Uruguayan defender decided to make the switch to Inter Milan this summer when his contract with Atletico Madrid ended.

When asked about why he chose to move to Inter Milan, Godin told Gazzetta dello Sport that :

“This time [move to Inter] it was different, I was near the end of my contract. I can say that no club convinced me how Inter managed to. They came alive first and decidedly with more conviction than other clubs. They showed me the project: it’s ambitious, like me and I liked the idea of ​​being part of it and being able to help Inter realize it.”

Godin also reflected on how Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte is similar to former manager Diego Simeone and how he would like to play a part in helping Inter win the Champions League. Manchester United have certainly missed out on signing one of the best defenders in the world, despite his age. However, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s new transfer policy of signing and developing younger players may be the stepping stone to success for the club after a spell of signing big name players certainly didn’t work for the Red Devils.

Will Solskjaer’s new Manchester United be able to achieve the peaks the club once witnessed under Sir Alex Fergusson?