Martin Montoya, a La Masia product, has revealed how close he came to following Gerard Pique to Manchester United before staying loyal to Barcelona.
According to Mundo Deportivo, former Barcelona right-back admitted that he was close to joining Manchester United when he was younger, just as Pique and Cesc Fabregas did. He said:
“When I was very young, I was on the verge of playing for Manchester United. They come and offer you contracts, as they did with Cesc Fabregas and Pique; they offered me four years in England, but I declined at the time. My dream was to play for Barcelona. For me, United are the Premier League’s biggest team.”
Read Also:Ex-Chelsea Star Claims Relationship With Tuchel Will Not Guarantee Him World Cup Spot
That decision demonstrates how La Masia can entice players to stay at Barcelona even when they receive lucrative offers from other countries. At that age, a long contract in England may appear to be the safer option, especially since other elite prospects have already made the move.
Montoya saw things differently. He was enticed by a Premier League legend, but he chose patience over the shortcut. He may not have achieved the same level of stardom in the first squad as Pique, but he had his moments.
Years later, Montoya shared a changing room with Pique and Fabregas at Barcelona when they returned from England and rejoined the first team. This demonstrates that there isn’t just one path to success at the Catalan club.
La Masia and Barcelona remain a mutually beneficial alliance. The current group has many players who came through the academy, and we’ll have to wait and watch how things play out.
COMMENTS