How Dutch youth international nearly signed for Sunderland before Man Utd in 2012

Alexander Buttner has revealed that he could have signed for Sunderland in 2012 before Manchester United came calling.

The former Dutch youth international signed a five-year contract with Manchester United and spent two seasons at Old Trafford, making 28 appearances and scoring two goals in all competitions.

"I was eating fries," Buttner laughed when asked about the moment he was told United wanted to sign him to Voetbal. "With my friends and my brother. My agent called me.

"It was actually bizarre because a few weeks before I had gone to see other clubs: Southampton, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers. Actually, I was going to sign for one of those clubs."

"In one of the stadiums of those clubs, there was a Manchester United book. I said to my agent: take a picture of me and that book and we'll pretend we're going there. A week later he called me back: Alex, Manchester United."