Revealed: How Italy legend nearly joined Manchester City after Rafael Benitez fallout

Former Italy and Napoli defender Paolo Cannavaro has revealed how he nearly signed for Manchester City after falling out with legendary coach Rafael Benitez. 

Cannavaro played 278 games in the south of Italy across two spells – first between 1998-2001, and then from 2006-14. Those stints came either side of a seven-year stay at Parma, while he featured for Verona and Sassuolo later in his career.

Although his career wasn’t as lucrative as that of his brother Fabio – who won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with the Italy National Team, two La Liga titles and the Ballon d’Or – Cannavaro still possesses the credentials of a successful career, twice winning the Coppa Italia and one Supercoppa Italiana. 

From what was a generally fruitful time in Naples, his departure from the club over a decade ago proved to be something of a controversial one owing to a broken down relationship with then Napoli manager Rafael Benitez.

Cannavaro, 44, has indicated in the years since that he felt forced out of the club by the former Liverpool and Newcastle United head coach despite his keenness to stay due to a strong relationship with the Napoli fans.

The former centre-half eventually secured a loan move to Sassuolo in January 2014 for 16 games – ultimately joining them on a permanent move in the summer that followed – and making a further 104 appearances.

“Was my departure in 2014 Rafa Benitez’s fault? Everyone makes their own decisions,” Cannavaro said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness.

“He (Benitez) chose to dismantle the previous team and renew. I’m only sorry I didn’t have a chance to change his mind, but he knows what I think. I even told him to his face.”

However, it seems that Manchester City were also an option for the Italian at that time. “Is it true that I could have gone to Manchester City (Benitez)? I was open to the move only because I realised I wouldn’t have had a place with Benitez,” Cannavaro added.

“I would have liked to (join Manchester City in 2014) but it fell through because Napoli asked for too high a fee.”

A move to the Etihad Stadium for Cannavaro would have been prolific for both parties given his ability to command the backline in any team, though City’s defensive structure in 2014 was one of their strongest since the club’s takeover in 2008. 

Joe Hart was stationed in goal behind the likes of Gael Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala as the Premier League side intensified their stranglehold on the rest of the English top-flight.

Following the 2008 takeover of the club by the Abu Dhabi United Group, led by Sheikh Mansour, City have been managed by Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini and now Pep Guardiola as they search for a ninth Premier League title this term – what would be a fifth Premier League crown in six seasons.