Sol Campbell is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, but his career could have taken a very different turn if one phone call had been answered differently.
The former England international has opened up about a dramatic transfer saga that could have seen him swap north London for Old Trafford.
As it turns out, Gary Neville’s personal efforts to lure Campbell to Manchester United were met with a cold reception, not from Campbell himself, but from an unexpected source – former Tottenham chairman Alan Sugar.
Speaking candidly about the events that shaped his career, Campbell revealed how Neville reached out to him personally during a midday siesta to discuss a potential move to Manchester United.
“You [Neville] bloody called me! I remember, I was having an afternoon nap, and the phone call came through and Gary asked me if I fancied United,” Campbell recounted during an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast.
“I must have been about 21 then… it did go further, but Sugar blocked it.”
The Manchester United move, which seemed almost certain at the time, was derailed by the intervention of Alan Sugar, whose actions left a lasting impact on Campbell’s career trajectory.
In a turn of events that would shape the Premier League for years to come, Campbell’s move to Arsenal was born out of this political drama.
His decision to join the Gunners in 2001 remains one of the most controversial in football history, with Spurs fans branding him ‘Judas’ for his switch to their bitter rivals.
Campbell didn’t shy away from discussing his relationship with Sugar, hinting at a challenging dynamic: “A lot of players have had difficult times with him.”
Despite Tottenham’s best efforts to retain their star defender by offering him a massive contract, Sol Campbell ultimately chose to leave the club after nine years.
Had Sol Campbell moved to Manchester United, the history of the Premier League could have been drastically different, and Spurs might have avoided one of the most infamous moves in football.
Instead, Campbell went on to achieve greater success with Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and two FA Cups, including being a key part of the famous ‘Invincibles’ team in 2003/04.
While his time at Tottenham included a League Cup victory in 1999, it was at Arsenal that Campbell cemented his legacy as one of the Premier League’s finest defenders.
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Source: Centred Devils
