14 January 2024 , 06:45
478
0
Dimitar Berbatov was left going “crazy” as a faulty fax machine almost saw him lose out on a dream move to Manchester United.
The Bulgarian was a top target for the Red Devils ahead of the 2008-09 season following his goalscoring exploits for Tottenham. Negotiations between the two clubs continued throughout the 2008 summer transfer window.
Things grew tense between the two clubs, with the North London side complaining to the Premier League - something legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson slammed as “embarrassing”. Even up until the final moments of the window, Berbatov was not confident that he was going to secure the move that he desired.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, the Betfair ambassador recalled: “Believe me when I tell you my mind was going crazy at that moment because me coming from a small country, this was my mountain top.
“United was my mountain top. I was seeing myself with one foot there. The last day of the transfer window, all the stuff was happening. Spurs wanted me to stay and not go to United then United said ‘We spoke with Spurs, you’re ready to go.’
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
“And then you try and please everybody and you don’t know what to do and my head and my mind was going crazy. My family was calling, my friends were driving me crazy.”
Dimitar Berbatov signs his Manchester United contract (Getty Images)How high does Dimitar Berbatov rank in Man United's best-ever strikers? Share your thoughts in the comments below
A switch to Old Trafford was one that Berbatov was desperate to complete. He had scored 46 goals on 102 appearances for Tottenham but United was his pinnacle.
While all parties were keen to get a deal over the line, technology - albeit dated - almost scuppered his dream. Berbatov added: “My personal ambition, telling myself ‘this is the chance, don’t let it slip’ because you’re going to regret.
“But on the other side you’re going to let down the Spurs supporters. It was all a mix of emotions going through my mind. Coming close to the last hour or minutes of the transfer window, also there is moments where nothing was happening and that made me angry. My agent was getting angry and desperate.
Dimitar Berbatov arrived at Man United in a £30m deal in 2008 (Getty Images)“The fax at one point was not working. Everybody was going crazy but finally it happened and to be honest, I didn’t have any power left in my body to be happy. You were exhausted so much, you were happy but you cannot show it.”
Berbatov’s move to Manchester was finally made official for a fee of just over £30m. He put pen to paper on a four-year deal.
Speaking through his emotions after finally becoming a Red Devil, he said: “It was a relief that it’s finished now and finally I am where I worked so hard over the years to be. I was smiling inside and had my agent shaking hands with Sir Alex.
“And when I go to the hotel room by myself with my family and friends and I said ‘we made it’. And then just lying there and thinking about everything that was ahead of me and what just happened.”
Berbatov made 149 appearances and scored 56 goals for the Red Devils before quitting for Fulham. His former sides Man United and Tottenham face off in the Premier League this weekend.
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
To hear more from Betfair's Dimitar Berbatov, listen to him on this week's Football...Only Bettor podcast here