How Manchester United player turned down incredible Arsenal offer

Daley Blind has revealed how close he came to becoming a Gunner when Arsenal offered him a mind-blowing contract as a teenager.

But the Manchester United star, then just 16 years of age, rejected Arsene Wenger’s approach and opted to stay in Amsterdam with Ajax.

Nine years on he recognises that Arsenal will be among United’s leading rivals as they pursue glory at home and in the Champions League.

Blind, 25, said: “I had the chance to move to London at a young age. I was in the Ajax academy and one day I came home from school.

"My mum and dad said to me: ‘Arsenal have called today. They want you.’

“I thought they were taking the mickey. It was my dream to be a player in the first team of Ajax but we went to Arsenal.

"We were there for a day. It was great. They offered to sort out everything for my schooling, so I could get my A levels.

“They also offered me an incredible contract, especially for a boy of my age. Ajax offered me a contract too at the same time.

"The money was nowhere near what I could earn at Arsenal. My dad left it up to me and I decided to stay at Ajax.”

Versatile star Blind joined United from Ajax last summer in a £13.8million deal and does not have any regrets about turning down the Arsenal deal.

“I let a lot of money slip away then,” he said. “And I can understand why some players, whose families need the money, say yes to clubs of Arsenal’s size.

"I said no, partially because I was lucky to have everything I needed at home.

“The other reason I decided to say no, was that secretly I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my dad, Danny. He had been captain of Ajax, won every trophy in the world with them.’’

Blind did briefly regret his snub to Arsenal at one point when Martin Jol became the Ajax manager and sent him out on loan to provincial ­Groningen.

Blind said: “It looked as if I wouldn’t get a chance at Ajax under Jol. That is when it kept going through my head: ‘If only I had said yes to Arsenal, I would be playing in London every week instead of being on loan in this place’.

“I was so relieved when I heard that Martin Jol had gone. A week later Frank de Boer, who took over, brought me straight back and put me in the first team. I was his new left-back!"