UD Almería’s Arnau Puigmal says it wasn’t easy for him to join Manchester United earlier in his career.
[Ideal](https://www.ideal.es/udalmeria/arnau-preferi-fichar-almeria-barca-20251120210810-nt.html) have covered comments made by the 24-year-old for Spanish YouTube channel Post United. This includes talking about his move to Manchester United and his time with the English club.
Puigmal joined Espanyol’s academy in 2010 and spent seven years there before the Red Devils secured his services. Ideal put it to the Spaniard had offers from several other clubs, including Real Madrid.
Arnau Puigmal admitted it wasn’t easy to pick the Premier League side and explains why he decided to join them.
_“It was a difficult decision, but in the end, the Premier League really appealed to me. I was 16 years old, it was a tough decision, but now, looking back, I don’t regret it,”_ he said.
He initially joined the Red Devils’ U18s and the midfielder represented Manchester United U19 and U21s. However, he wasn’t given an opportunity to represent their first team before being released him in 2021.
The current Almería player explained the challenges he faced in his first year in England.
_“The first year was tough, it was really hard. It wasn’t easy being so far from home, the climate affected me a lot, and the food… it was a shock,”_ Arnau Puigmal explained.
_“At first, they gave me fish and chips at 5.50pm. I called my mother crying, saying I wouldn’t last two months there. Fortunately, my family came to help me and the adjustment became easier over time.”_
The Spaniard said the demands in England were different to that in Spain.
_“Football there is much more physical. At Espanyol, I’d never touched a weight in my life. I arrived at United and they told me to bench press 120 kilos, it was crazy,”_ he added.
Arnau Puigmal reveals Barcelona wanted to sign him after leaving Manchester United, but he decided to snub them for Almería.