Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara revealed Manchester United goalkeeper and Spain team-mate David de Gea wanted him to sign for the Premier League club.
Thiago moved to Bayern from boyhood club Barcelona in 2013, in a bid to gain more game time.
The 24-year-old resisted interest from Manchester United to reunited with former Barca coach Pep Guardiola in the Bundesliga, despite De Gea's best efforts to persuade his international team-mate to join him at Old Trafford.
"There was never any firm proposal," he told the Daily Mail.
"David de Gea wanted me to join. He wrote a message on my match ball after we'd beaten Italy in the [UEFA U21 Championships] final.
"But I'd have done the same with him. He is one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world. You always want to play with the best. But it was always going to be Munich."
In regards to a future move to the Premier League, Thiago said: "All I will say is that it is an amazing league. It is probably the best league in the world but I'm very happy at Bayern and fulfilled with what I am doing."
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