[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

Speaking to Goal, Borussia Dortmund star Axel Witsel has revealed he turned down the chance to sign for Manchester United last summer.

What's the word?

The Belgium international was playing for Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian for a couple of seasons, before leaving for Dortmund last year.

Now, Witsel has admitted that whilst he was initially approached by the German side's sporting director Michael Zorc, he had other offers from the likes of United and PSG as well.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

He said: "First (Dortmund sporting director) Michael Zorc approached me, then (manager) Lucien Favre called me. I also had other offers, maybe I could have gone to Paris or Manchester, but I did not want to wait. And I had the feeling that I was the first choice for Dortmund. It is important to feel good when you go to a new club. So after the talks with Zorc, Favre and (CEO) Hans-Joachim Watzke, I decided to join BVB."

Another missed opportunity

So Witsel becomes yet another signing United didn't pull off in the Jose Mourinho era. The Portuguese boss seemed to have an abundance of transfer targets, but saw many fail to come to fruition.

Whilst at 30 Witsel may be approaching the wrong stage of his career, there is no doubting he still possesses the quality to be a United star. Last season, the Belgian managed six goals in 43 games across all competitions, and showed his ability to adapt by playing as both a holding and central midfielder.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week...

To open the current Premier League campaign up, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has played Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba at the base of his midfield. Whilst it has produced an unbeaten start, the duo could struggle to maintain their form over the course of a season. Indeed, the United boss' seeming reluctance to play Nemanja Matic, and lack of replacement for Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini, means the Red Devils are short on cover.

Witsel would have represented a ready-made star, capable of stepping into the team straight away.

[ad_pod ]