These days, few gifted football players turn down Manchester City, but in July 2015, the all-conquering team was unable to entice one teenager who was headed to Arsenal to the Etihad.
Ismael Bennacer, a midfielder for AC Milan, turned down Manchester City when he was younger because they wouldn’t give him a room of his own.
Bennacer, 25, turned Manchester City for Arsenal and has since become a household name in Serie A. The French minnows Arles was where the Algerian international began his professional career until July 2015, when the Manchester club and their Premier League rivals called.
Bennacer was a target for both City and Arsenal, but Arsenal prevailed in the transfer battle. But the adolescent’s stay in England didn’t go as expected. He only appeared once before Tours, a French group, was given his loan in January 2017.
Six months later, Bennacer signed a permanent contract with Italian team Empoli and hasn’t looked back. He won the Serie B championship with Empoli at the end of his first season there, and in May 2022, he won the Serie A championship with AC Milan. He has now discussed his time spent in England.
Sport Witness cited Bennacer as saying, “(City) called me and told me ‘we want you to be with the reserves’ and everything.” “Dude, it’s City. I was prepared. I followed their instructions to “come see the facilities.” I don’t know, I wasn’t feeling it when I got there.”
Bennacer then recalled his first impressions of City’s top-notch facilities and his encounter with Patrick Vieira, the club’s academy director until his departure in November 2015. “Their facilities were crazy,” the midfield player continued. Incredible. Everything was discussed with Vieira and me.
However, the agreement fell through. Bennacer clarified: “I enjoyed our conversation, but I don’t like that they asked me to spend the night at the academy… My desire was a flat. I was hoping to bring my sister along. I dropped City because of this. And then, in late July, there was Arsenal.”
During the previous transfer window, Bennacer was expected to rejoin the Gunners, but a knee injury derailed any plans for a reunion. With three and a half years left on his Milan deal, the player should be back to full fitness by the end of next month.
Bennacer’s return to availability will please Milan manager Stefano Pioli. The seven-time European winners trail leaders and local rivals Inter Milan by eight points in Serie A. The league has not seen a victory for Pioli’s team since the beginning of October.
Bennacer’s achievements extend beyond the club level. He was voted Player of the Tournament for his efforts in Egypt and assisted Algeria in winning the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The former Arsenal player has scored twice in 46 senior cap victories.
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