By the end of the 2010/11 season, it had become clear that Owen Hargreaves did not have a future at Manchester United and that his £17million transfer four years earlier had not met expectations.
Injuries had played havoc with the England international, who at one point went 777 days between games at Old Trafford and retirement at the end of his Red Devils contract looked like a possibility.
Hargreaves himself had other ideas though and was determined to play on and even uploaded videos to YouTube in a bid to convince potential suitors that he was over his injury issues.
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Hargreaves on the end of his Manchester United career
“I was released by Manchester United in 2011,” Hargreaves tells FourFourTwo, speaking on behalf of TNT Sports. “I was out of contract – I would never have dreamt of leaving as I loved my time there. But they grew tired of my injury issues and let me go. It was devastating.
“I came close to signing for West Brom on a free transfer but, right after agreeing everything, they wanted to insert an extra clause in my contract that I didn’t agree with. I spoke to the manager, Roy Hodgson, and he agreed that the clause made it impossible for me to sign, which he was disappointed about as he really wanted me. So, I had to look elsewhere.“
A simple twist of fate would seen Hargreaves head to Manchester City, who were still light in central midfield following Patrick Vieira’s retirement and were set to lose Yaya Toure to Africa Cup of Nations duty later that season.
“I bumped into David Platt in a pub in Manchester; he was coaching at Man City and asked about my situation,” Hargreaves continues. “He was actually living just down the road from me, and so was Roberto Mancini – we were practically neighbours.
“That’s how the talks started. It’s good to have a plan in life, and it was never mine to sign for United’s biggest rivals, but sometimes life comes at you differently. Do I wish I could have stayed at United, kept fit and helped them to win another Premier League or Champions League title?
“Of course I do. People have made jibes at me about what happened at United; they forget that the person those injuries impacted most was me. They cost me my career, when I should have been at my peak.“
Hargreaves would only make one Premier League appearance for City – but that was during the history-making 2011/12 season, when the club won their first Premier League title.
“Just to train and play football every day was a blessing, to be honest,” Hargreaves adds. “I wasn’t fit enough to have the impact on the pitch that I would have liked, but I got myself back on my feet and trained hard. There was a great group of lads at the club – brilliant people, hungry for success.
“I still talk to many of that group. Our training games were very intense and I enjoyed myself. That period was primarily about trying to get back on my feet after an awful time. My dad always told me never to give up. That stint with City did a lot for me personally.”
