Aaron Wan-Bissaka described his life-changing transfer move from Crystal Palace to Manchester United in the summer of 2019.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has narrated his emotions regarding his career-changing move to Manchester United.
For him, it was impossible to reject the best offer of his career which led him to Old Trafford. In the summer of 2019, the 23-year-old switched from Crystal Palace for a transfer price of £50 million.
Before heading there, Wan-Bissaka spent one year with the Eagles where he enjoyed substantial growth. And just after one campaign, he was dealing with whether or not to believe moving to Man Utd, one of the elite clubs in the Premier League.
Wan-Bissaka opened up on the Players’ Tribune about his career: “The first thing you notice at Manchester United is how big everything is.”
“I remember when I went up to sign the contract at the training ground in the summer of 2019, we just kept driving past farms and woodlands, like the middle of nowhere. I’m thinking like, ‘Where are we? What is this?’
“Then suddenly there it was and I ain’t seen anything like it before … the pitches, the buildings, the size of everything. It’s on another level. Everywhere you go you see the club’s history, with pictures and references to players, trophies, success from before.”
“It’s massive. The biggest club in the world. It didn’t kick in at first. I’d only made my Palace debut not that long ago.”
“I’m not gonna lie, I was nervous about the move. Was I ready? I felt like I had unfinished business at Palace, that they could still help develop me before I moved on. I had always planned on staying longer.”
“After being so eager to break into the first team, this felt like such a jump to a new life away from home, away from my parents and my family. But … it’s Manchester United.”
“These offers don’t come around every day, you know what I’m saying? “If you say no, you might never get another chance. United tend to sign players for the long haul. They might not need another right-back for a long time.”
Wan-Bissaka added: “When I finally did meet up with the squad, I was worried they might look down on me, you know, coming from a “smaller” team. This is the club of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, David de Gea. Superstars.”
“But really it was the opposite. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, making sure I was OK.”
“The feeling of 70,000 cheering you make a tackle, singing your name is … honestly, I can’t put it into words. The only way I can describe it is to say, I feel like I’ve made it.”
“I feel like I’m home.”
Be sure not to miss out on the latest news about Crystal Palace
Download our brand new App and follow your favorite players, clubs, and much more
