‘We were s******** ourselves’ – Manchester City legend Pablo Zabaleta reveals players were convinced the club would sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi after Sheikh Mansour takeover in 2008

Pablo Zabaleta proved fans aren’t the only ones sucked in to transfer news when he commented on the Manchester City takeover in 2008.

The retired right-back has revealed the Citizens side are confident the club are signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Zabaleta was City’s last signing before Sheikh Mansour bought the team where he immediately flexed his financial muscle.

Brazilian striker Robinho was instantly snatched from Real Madrid – despite the winger dreaming of a move to Chelsea.

Dimitar Berbatov and Franck Ribery were also reported targets for City, then managed by Mark Hughes.

Robinho’s arrival at the Etihad sent shock waves through the dressing room, with Zabaleta saying the players “were s******* themselves” that they would soon be replaced.

He previously told La Nacion: “I was seduced by going to England.

“And I thought, ‘I have a few more years, I have another experience and it will be time to go back to Spain or go to Italy.’

“Ten days after my transfer, the Abu Dhabi people’s purchase of the club was executed, and four days later they invested £40m for Robinho.

“And there, I said. ‘Now what do I do? I’m going to last six months here!

“We took it a bit as a joke and in the free lockers in the dressing room we started putting ‘Messi’, ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’, we were fucking ourselves up.”

Zabaleta’s premonition of fellow Argentinian Messi’s arrival almost came true in 2017 after City told Barcelona he was willing to pay £100million for his services.

But Messi eventually signed a new contract until 2021, where City once again sought to nab him on a free transfer, only to have Paris Saint-Germain link them to his signature.

As for Ronaldo, he came close to signing for City later in this summer window, only for rivals Manchester Uited to hijack the move following interference from Sir Alex Ferguson.

Zabaleta, who left in 2017 after winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup, joined in the same summer as club legend Vincent Kompany.

Robinho’s signing wasn’t the only high-profile signing under Mansour’s ownership in the 2008/09 season, as City added Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy, Nigel de Jong and Shay Given to their ranks in the market. ‘winter.

But ultimately they finished in tenth place, leading Mansour to dip into his pockets to sign Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Joleon Lescott, Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz and Patrick Vieira.

And City have continued to splash the cash year after year where they are now recognized as one of the best clubs in Europe.

Only the Champions League has eluded City, but with Erling Haaland leading, Pep Guardiola’s men are favorites to win the European Cup this campaign – even without Ronaldo and Messi.

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