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Man City would have gone into administration if they hadn’t sold me – I didn’t have a choice about leaving


SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS revealed Manchester City would have gone into administration if they hadn’t sold him to Chelsea in 2005.

Wright-Phillips, 43, joined City’s academy at the age of 17 and was promoted to the first team only a year later when he rose to prominence.

Manchester City icon Shaun Wright-Phillips was sold to Chelsea in 2005Credit: Getty
Wright-Phillips revealed Man City sold him to avoid going into administrationCredit: Alamy
Wright-Phillips was happy at Man City befoe his move to ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty

After six impressive years with Man City, the former winger started to attract interest from his father Ian Wright’s former club Arsenal who were planning a bid in January 2006.

However, Chelsea beat their London rivals to the punch in July 2005 following a £21million deal with the Citizens.

The ex-England international wanted to stay at the Etihad but his agent insisted he didn’t have a choice, without providing any further details.

And a few months later, the former Queens Parks Rangers star found out City had to sell him to the Blues or else the club was going to go into administration.

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Wright-Phillips told Ladbrokes: “The summer I left, I’d heard that Arsenal were interested, and there was some inquiries into that between the two clubs from what I remember.

“I was asked would I go, and I just said no – I was a kid! It wasn’t about leaving City to play for a bigger team.

“I was just happy where I was, and I enjoyed playing football from Manchester City.

“So I didn’t think about going to Arsenal to have a chance to win the league or be a part of what’s going on there. Basically, I just said that it’s not for me.

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“I said to my agent that I’m happy where I am, but then he told me I didn’t really have a choice. He didn’t explain all the details behind it.

“He just kind of said I don’t really have a choice, but we’re waiting to see what Arsene Wenger’s going to say.

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“And then he said that he would like me but that we’d have to wait until January.

“Then Chelsea just bid, Man City accepted it and then I just had to leave.

“It was only a few months later I found out that if they didn’t sell me, if they didn’t get that fee, the club was going to go into administration. So that was the reason why I left.”

SWP spent three years at Stamford Bridge before returning to City, moving to QPR for four years and spells in the US.


Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk


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