‘I Failed To Join Manchester United In 2001’ – Sulley Muntari Explains

Sulley Muntari has revealed he lost the chance to join Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in 2001 after the team delayed to process paperworks. 

The former Inter Milan player and Uefa Champions League winner, 38, said in an exclusive interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah that coach Sellas Tetteh flew him to Manchester to have his first ever European trial with the English top flight. 

“…Yeah it was very good I worked with the junior team, spent a week or two and that was when the disaster (May 9th stadium disaster) happened . I was there when it happened and I came back home,” -he said.

He added when he was waiting patiently for Manchester United in Ghana to finalise the deal, Italian side Udinese came ahead with an enticing contract deal. “When I came we were waiting for United to give me the contract, so I sign and all that. So we were waiting for the contract to come but then Udinese came right away.”

“Man United was interested but I didn’t play with the national team so I had to go to Belgium, Antwerp because they had a relationship with them. So You pick up,” – Sulley Muntari said by giving more reasons why Manchester United delayed to link up with him. The English side wanted him to go on loan with Antwerp in Belgium for some years.

Sulley Muntari, born on August 27, 1984 is one of the few successful Ghanaian footballers who have scored goals in the FIFA World Cup. He scored his first World Cup goal in 2006 in a 2-nil win against Czech Republic and his second in 2010 against Uruguay.