Wesley Sneijder never made it to English shores, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, with two Premier League clubs coming tantalisingly close to securing the enigmatic Dutch playmaker in his heyday
For years, Wesley Sneijder was the Premier League’s elusive phantom. The Inter Milan and Netherlands icon was perpetually linked with moves to England, with Manchester United, Liverpool and others investing serious time and effort in pursuit of the mercurial midfielder.
In his prime, Sneijder was a creative force in world football, with his sublime blend of technical brilliance and lethal goalscoring instinct captivating clubs across Europe. Fresh off orchestrating Inter Milan’s historic 2010 Treble and steering the Netherlands to a World Cup final, he was the prize many elite clubs coveted.
United made a fervent attempt to snag the Dutch maestro that summer, but it was Liverpool who came closest to securing his signature in 2012. “When I was leaving Inter, I was speaking to Liverpool – but I had to make a decision between Liverpool and Galatasaray,” Sneijder said, speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, via BetMGM.
“At that time, I was considering both. But when you look at my career, all the teams I have played for were playing for something, playing for the title, always in the top three of the league.
“And at that time, Liverpool were not as great as they are now. Galatasaray was a completely new experience. A different culture, and playing for prizes. So I chose them over Liverpool.”
His decision nearly haunted him, as the Reds mounted a thrilling, albeit doomed, Premier League title charge in 2013/14 under Brendan Rodgers, derailed by Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip against Chelsea. In Istanbul, Sneijder’s gamble paid dividends, as he powered Galatasaray to eight major trophies, including two Super Lig titles and three Turkish Cups. Yet, the siren call of the Premier League lingered.
Reflecting on the Manchester United saga, Sneijder revealed that talks with the Red Devils were gaining momentum in 2010, only to collapse abruptly. It wasn’t until years later, during a chance encounter between his father and legendary former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, that the truth behind the failed transfer emerged, shedding light on one of modern football’s great ‘what-ifs.’
“I didn’t know the reason – I didn’t ask my agent. He just said they [United] didn’t call anymore and I believed it. But many years later, like five or six years later, my father was in Manchester with a friend of his, and they walked into a place where Sir Alex Ferguson was.
“And he spoke to my father and he said he was interested in me, that he wanted to sign me, but that there was a problem with the agent. So that was the problem – which I didn’t know before. That’s the information I have now.
“Obviously, it would have been a great move. After winning everything to go to a big club like Man United would have been amazing. But also, I had a great time at Inter Milan, and after that I had a great move to Galatasaray… it just didn’t happen.”
Sneijder, now 40, launched his storied career at Ajax, honing his craft before a high-profile 2007 transfer to Real Madrid. In his debut season, he clinched the La Liga title, but the arrival of the second Galacticos era – headlined by Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema – pushed him out in 2009.
Revenge came swiftly, though, as Sneijder, under Jose Mourinho, helped new club Inter clinch a famous Treble, capped by a 2-0 Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu – his former home. After securing six major titles in three-and-a-half years at the San Siro, he joined Galatasaray, before stints at Nice and Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa.
Internationally, Sneijder’s 134 caps – a Dutch record – saw him shine at six major tournaments. His pinnacle came at the 2010 World Cup, where he led the Netherlands to the final, claimed joint-top scorer honours, and earned the Silver Ball as the tournament’s second-best player.
Sneijder’s career, defined by trophies as well as near-misses, remains a testament to his unwavering pursuit of glory over glamour. While the Premier League’s allure never truly faded, his choice to chase success in the fervent footballing cauldrons of Milan and Istanbul over England’s uncertain promises proved his instinct for winning was as sharp as his playmaking.
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