In 2008, Dimitar Berbatov chose to join Manchester United over Manchester City because of the opportunity to play with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Carlos Tevez, saying there was 'no comparison' between the two squads.
Before joining Tottenham in 2006 and immediately establishing himself as one of the top attackers in the Premier League, Berbatov had earned his name at Bayer Leverkusen, where he participated in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid.
By 2008, United was looking to bolster the team that had just won the Champions League, and Sir Alex Ferguson regarded Berbatov as the ideal player to bolster the existing players. On the day of the summer transfer deadline, he signed Berbatov for a club record cost of more than £30m.
But that summer also saw the acquisition of Manchester City by Sheikh Mansour, a prince of Abu Dhabi, who has subsequently invested billions in the team. Berbatov was given the opportunity to play for City, a team that hadn't finished better than eighth in the Premier League since 1992 and hadn't won a significant trophy since 1976. City had only made a comeback as a Premier League team in 2002.
"Look at the red, gold, and badge on the shirt. As the newest guest on BT Sport's What I Wore, Berbatov talked about the team's history, manager, players, and championships.
"There was no comparison [between Manchester United and Manchester City] back then. There was no room for doubt or selection. a single [team]. In my eyes, this was the time to possibly take the final step up my mountain—my own summit.
"The guys on this team are one of the reasons I decided to join them. Who wouldn't like playing with individuals like [Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez]? You desire to be there and a member of that group. You want to compete with the top players to test your skills.
"It was tough and enjoyable; after all, you have to enjoy yourself while doing it. You must also be able to defend yourself; if someone shouts at you, shout back. If not, they will tramp all over you. You must demonstrate your strength.
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