Real Madrid Goalkeeper Iker Casillas Turned Down Manchester City Offer

(This entry was originally posted in this blog on December 7, 2008 and the information is based on that time.)

Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas has turned down a massive offer of newly rich club Manchester City. Reports have it in the media that City was willing to make a deal worth 150 million euro with Real Madrid to sign Iker Casillas, making the new world-record of transfer fee in the history of club football. Moreover, Iker Casillas was reportedly offered a huge salary scale of 13 million euros by Manchester City. Following Manchester City Arab takeover, the club has been in a spending spree and the new owner of the club is trying to recruit star players for big amount. Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas was the recent target of the club. However, Casillas did not think twice to turn it down because the Spanish international feels happy at the club Real Madrid and to him, playing for Real Madrid for the last nine years is bigger than anything else.

Press Association reported:

But in an interview with the Real Madrid website Casillas said: “I don’t want to talk about it because I’m very happy in this team. I’ve been here (in the first team) for nine years and this is bigger than anything else, this is where I’m happy.”

The 27-year-old Casillas has been at Madrid since he was eight and earlier this year revealed he would like to become president of the Spanish club once he retires.

There is no doubt, Iker Casillas is one of the dedicated members of Real Madrid who wants to end his career at the club. So, it is very much understandable that Casillas does not want to leave Real Madrid where he joined at its youth side at the age of 9. Since then, Real Madrid has become his ultimate destination. Earlier this year, Real Madrid handed Iker Casillas a contract extension by which the goalkeeper will stay at Real Madrid until 2017.