"Manchester United, Barcelona, you name it" – Player insists Red Devils made transfer call

Former Feyenoord midfielder Achahbar recalls turning down interest from Manchester United and Barcelona as a youth to pursue his dream of playing for his boyhood club.

Anass Achahbar, a Dutch-Moroccan former footballer and current coach, has reflected on his career at Feyenoord and the transfer interest he received from top European clubs. Coming through Feyenoord's youth academy, Achahbar made his Eredivisie debut in March 2015 in a memorable 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven, scoring twice in a standout performance that remains a defining moment of his career.

Despite attracting attention from Manchester United, Barcelona and other major clubs following his success with the Netherlands U17s—where he won the European Championship—Achahbar chose to stay loyal to Feyenoord. He explained that his sole ambition was to play for the club and make their De Kuip stadium erupt, rather than pursue a move to a bigger European side. That 2015 performance against PSV represented the fulfilment of his childhood dream.