Nani: Former Man Utd star picks ultimate five-a-side team
Manchester United hero Nani has admitted the good thing about Louis van Gaal selling him was he was able to ‘breathe a little bit’. The Portugal international spent seven years at Old Trafford before leaving for Fenerbahce, with a loan spell at Sporting Lisbon in between. He won four Premier League titles at Old Trafford.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
“That’s why Man United is Man United, all over the world. It was great to come back to Sporting because I came back home, close to my family and my friends.
“It was good to breathe a little bit, to recover and get some energy back and motivation, to find a new challenge” said Nani speaking to the Official Manchester United Podcast.
“To tell the truth, it was a great season for Sporting for me that year. I played very well and in the Champions League I scored a couple of goals. I enjoyed the football a lot in that time.”
Nani also admitted that he knew he’d play for United when he took a tour of Old Trafford at the age of 17.
“I went to Manchester a couple of years before I joined when I was a junior at 17 years old. We went to England for a pre-season,” he said.
“I was the player who had the least time in all the games and I was feeling, 'This coach doesn't count on me’.
"He and his assistant were shouting at players like we were kids, like 18-year-olds.
“And I think, 'This is not the way to treat us because I am professional, I am training every day, I'm doing nothing wrong, I'm putting quality in the training'.
"Now when you see Manchester, it's not Manchester. With all respect to the players who are there, the personality, the mentality is all different.
“When you see Manchester United go inside the pitch you see a new era. Before you had big names, experienced players who represent so many years at the club.
“Now you see players who are maybe in their first year, their first time in the Premier League. It's all new."