Former Bournemouth star Joshua King has revealed his frustration at being denied a move to Manchester United during his time at the Vitality Stadium and was left 'devastated'
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Updated 15:59, 28 Mar 2025
Joshua King was denied a move to Manchester United
Joshua King was denied a move to Manchester United(Image: Anthony Dibon/Icon Sport)
Joshua King searched for a Bournemouth exit after he was denied a move to Manchester United by the club. The former Cherries striker was the subject of multiple bids from the Red Devils in 2020 that were rejected, before they moved on to sign Odion Ighalo.
The Norway international started his career with United after signing with the club as a 16-year-old. The forward's Premier League break came with Bournemouth who he scored 53 goals for in 184 appearances.
After being denied his opportunity to leave in January 2020, 12 months later with the south coast side in the Championship, King departed for Everton. A brief spell with the Toffees was followed by Watford, Fenerbahce and, currently, Toulouse.
King has expressed his frustration with how the situation was handled at the Vitality Stadium and revealed how devastated he was not to achieve a dream return to Old Trafford under Ole Gunner Solskjaer. Bournemouth's demands were considered too high after claims of a £25million bid.
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“The dream was to play for United," King said, as relayed by VG. "Now United are struggling with a striker.
"They have a Norwegian coach who is interested. Put an offer on the table, and I came there for free. And then you say no to £25m. He (Eddie Howe) said: 'Joshua, I won’t stand in your way, but the club wants x number of millions'.”
King added "I just sat in the jacuzzi for two or three hours waiting for the phone. I called Jim [Solbakken, his agent], who was working on that deal. And then I remember reading “Ighalo ready for United”. Then I was completely devastated. Then I was way down.”
Josh King was denied a move to Man Utd
Josh King was denied a move to Man Utd(Image: Getty Images)
King's frustrations contributed to why he hoped to depart the club. The 33-year-old remains unsure if it was the club's hierarchy or coach Eddie Howe who stopped the move in its tracks.
“I don’t know if it came from Eddie or if it came from the club. But it came from somewhere. And that was part of the reason why I wanted to leave Bournemouth and try a new chapter.”
United instead pulled off a surprise transfer by signing Ighalo. The striker arrived at Old Trafford on loan from Shanghai Shenhua, three years after departing Watford.
The Nigerian scored five goals in 19 appearances for the Red Devils but failed to find the net in the Premier League in 12 months at the club and was limited to just one league appearance in the first half of the 2020/21 season.
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