• Internazionale's sale of Samuel Eto'o scuppered move
Thursday 1 September 2011
Inter Milan's Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder admits he was close to joining Manchester United. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images
Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder admitted that he was "close" to joining Manchester United this summer. It had been rumoured for weeks that the Holland international was set to move to Old Trafford.
"I had felt that a move was close, yes," Sneijder said to Dutch newspaper AD . "There were talks on several occasions.
"The situation was that Inter had to sell a player - (Samuel) Eto'o or me. There was interest, but due to a combination of things, it didn't happen." Inter sold Cameroon forward Eto'o to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, leaving Sneijder to remain at the San Siro club.
Sneijder nevertheless admitted he was attracted by the idea of joining United. "They are one of the biggest clubs in the world, so it wasn't a bad option," he said. "But at the same time I didn't want to leave Inter. I'm in Italy and it's been great for me.
"I'm not saying I wouldn't have felt the same (at United), but for me it wasn't a situation where I felt I had to move, and there were a few factors that meant it didn't happen."
Sneijder joined Inter from Real Madrid in 2009 and helped the Nerazzurri win the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia in his first season in Milan.
"For me it wasn't so much a financial issue," he said. "Things are very good at Inter. I love the club and also the Italian people and the Italian culture. It suits me."
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