Wayne Rooney has revealed that he came close to joining Barcelona back in 2010, during a period of intense speculation over his Manchester United future.
The former England captain confirmed that talks took place with both Real Madrid and Barcelona after he handed in a transfer request at Old Trafford. In the end, he stayed – but it nearly went the other way.
“When I told Manchester United in 2010 that I did not want to sign a new deal and put in a transfer request, three clubs came in for me,” Rooney told BBC Sport. “Manchester City are often talked about as being one of them, but I don’t think that was ever an option for me – the teams who made an approach were Chelsea, Real and Barcelona.”
He said a deal with Real Madrid seemed likeliest for a couple of days, but it was Barcelona who made him think the most.
“In my head, I was ready to go and play in Spain. Some talks did take place. But I really thought about how I might fit into their side alongside Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets,” he explained. “Barca had an incredible team then and any player would have loved to play in it.”
Rooney ultimately remained at United, where he became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. But the idea of him linking up with Messi in Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side is one that still fascinates fans.
He also weighed in on recent rumours about Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold potentially moving to Real Madrid, saying he understands the appeal.
“Real are the same now with superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, so of course it must be appealing to Trent to think about playing alongside them – anyone would feel the same,” Rooney said.
“He’s been at Liverpool since he was six, but the reality is most players move at some point. That’s why there are so few one-club players left. I wouldn’t blame him for wanting something different. A fresh challenge, a new country – Spain would be a really good move for him.”
It’s not the first time Wayne Rooney has spoken openly about transfer what-ifs, but the Barcelona reveal adds a new layer to one of the biggest ‘almosts’ of modern football.
- Mark Walter’s Net Worth: Unveiling the Wealth Behind the $10 Billion Lakers Deal - June 19, 2025
- LA Lakers Sold for $10B in Wildest NBA Shakeup Ever - June 19, 2025
- Novak Djokovic Sets Sights on LA 2028 Olympics as Final Career Goal - June 18, 2025
