Former Real Madrid manager, Bernd Schuster, has revealed that he tried to get the LaLiga champions to sign Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, David Villa and Cesc Fabregas in the summer of 2008, but none of the proposed deals went through.
Schuster won the 2007/2008 league title during his first season in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu, only to then be fired the following December by club president., Ramon Calderon, after saying he felt his team had no chance ahead of a Clasico at the Camp Nou.
In extracts from his new autobiography, “Amor a primera vista” (Love at first sight), Schuster wrote: “I put on the table the names of Alves, Villa and Fabregas, and even spoke of Luis Fabiano [also Sevilla],” Schuster said. “We even spoke of Iniesta, who had a release clause at Barca of €50 million, but the idea fizzled out.”
Madrid’s most expensive summer signing in 2008 was Holland midfielder, Rafael van der Vaart, who arrived from Hamburg for €15m.
Ezequiel Garay was also signed from Racing Santander for €10m, Ruben de la Red from Getafe for €4.7m and Javi Garcia from Osasuna for €4m.
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