Dimitar Berbatov’s path from north London to Old Trafford represents one of football’s most intriguing transfer stories.
Having arrived at Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006 under Martin Jol’s management, Berbatov quickly established himself as a technically gifted striker in English football.
Dimitar Berbatov never wanted to join City and always wanted United
|
PA
Despite knowing his departure would disappoint many supporters, Berbatov recognised the opportunity to join United represented a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
“I come from Bulgaria, a small country. In my mind, I had always dreamed of being able to climb my own mountain. The top was Manchester United,” he reveals.
JUST IN: Roy Keane fights back tears as Ian Wright comforts close pal after old photo shown
The striker’s move to Manchester wasn’t straightforward, with their city rivals attempting a dramatic intervention on transfer deadline day.
Manchester City tried to secure Berbatov’s signature at the eleventh hour, but the Bulgarian remained resolute.
“I told my agent: ‘F*** off, we’re going to United’. Because of the history, the prestige, the players, the manager, the shirt. I never had any doubt that Old Trafford was the right decision,” Berbatov told The Telegraph.
His commitment was immediately validated when Sir Alex Ferguson personally collected him from the airport. The unexpected greeting left the new signing overwhelmed.
“I was shocked because it can be intimidating and especially for me, stepping out of the plane and, bam, you see Sir Alex!” he remembers.
The legendary manager drove Berbatov to Carrington, creating what the striker described as a “perfect day” despite his exhaustion.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
Dimitar Berbatov won six trophies during his time at United, scoring 56 times
|
PA
During his time at Old Trafford, Berbatov collected six trophies while playing alongside world-class team-mates.
The Bulgarian did not single out Cristiano Ronaldo as being leagues above the rest, instead praising the entire squad’s quality.
“At Manchester United they were all captains in their position: Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Neville, Giggs, Scholes, Rooney, Tevez,” he explained.
Berbatov witnessed Ronaldo’s exceptional dedication firsthand during their shared season.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Dimitar Berbatov admitted signing for United was his dream and never considered City
|
PA
“He trained like an animal, he tried his best to be the best. I don’t remember him missing a single training session,” he noted.
Surprisingly, the striker’s most cherished individual moment wasn’t scoring but creating a goal against West Ham. After brilliantly turning past James Collins, he set up Ronaldo perfectly.
The forward remains proud of being part of Tottenham’s last trophy-winning squad, lifting the League Cup in 2008. “That success at Wembley was special because we were the underdogs against a Chelsea side with Drogba, Lampard, Terry and co,” he reflected.