Valeri Bojinov had a three-year spell at Manchester City between 2007 and 2010.
The striker joined from Fiorentina right after a loan at Juventus, having made quite a mark in Italy.
Manchester City paid around £5m to land him and this came just before they spent big on a host of players. The deal didn’t go down too well at the Etihad though, as the Bulgarian could only play 12 times in all competitions for the Citizens.
Injuries derailed his progress and he ended up leaving for Parma for a much lower fee in 2010.
The ex-striker has now expressed regret about his time at the club.
Bojinov issues Manchester City apology
Bojinov spoke to Chiamarsi Bomber in an interview and was asked about his career. He made it clear that injuries held him back at Manchester City and he regrets how everything turned out.
“It wasn’t great because I had two serious injuries. It was a very serious club, and it was already said they’d win the Premier League within a couple of years.
“In their first year, they brought in Robinho, and then with Mancini’s arrival, they became great. Their goal was to bring City to the level United were at the time.”
Bojinov categorically said sorry for those injuries, but is quite satisfied with how his Serie A career was.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to perform at my best because of injuries. That’s okay, I’m happy to have played in Serie A, especially because the warmth and passion of the fans is unmatched anywhere else in the world.”
Further, the ex-forward also clarified that playing in Serie A made him feel much more fulfilled.
“In England, you’re one of many, while in Italy, the fans make you feel important even when you make a tackle. Personally, I would never trade the Premier League for Serie A.”
Bojinov is a Serie A cult hero
Even if things didn’t work out at Manchester City, the Bulgarian turned out to be a cult hero in Serie A.
At Parma, he went on to play 64 times and picked up 11 goals. Before that, he had managed to score 11 times in 41 appearances for Fiorentina. Juventus fans still respect him quite a bit as he played for them after their relegation to Serie B.
At that point, several key players departed the Bianconeri but Bojinov scored seven times in 21 games.
All in all, he clearly had a significant career and the Manchester City spell shouldn’t throw shade on it.