Arjen Robben snubbed Man Utd for Chelsea transfer as ‘he did not like smell of training ground’, claims Rio Ferdinand
RIO FERDINAND claims Arjen Robben snubbed Manchester United for Chelsea in 2004 because he "didn’t like the smell" of the training ground.
Robben won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups under Jose Mourinho after joining the Blues from PSV Eindhoven for £12million.
The former Netherlands international scored 19 goals and provided 22 assists in 106 times before departing for Real Madrid in 2007.
But things could have turned out very differently in English football had Robben joined United instead.
Indeed, he even visited Old Trafford and Carrington as an agreement neared.
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However, Ferdinand claims Robben, who is best remembered for his years at Bayern Munich, was put off by a smell at the training ground, prompting him to sign for Chelsea instead.
Ferdinand said in an Instagram Live video: “What a player. Robben was great.
“We should have signed him at Man United. I think he came to the training ground.
“He walked around and didn’t like the smell and walked off and went to Chelsea.
“I couldn’t believe it. He would have been great for us.
“[When you faced Robben] you knew he was going to come back in on his left foot.
“But the left-back couldn’t deal with it. He’d be saying, ‘I’m going to come in on my left, you’re not going to stop me.’ And they didn’t.”