EDINSON CAVANI phoned Boca Juniors to beg for a transfer in January, Juan Roman Riquelme revealed.
The Manchester United striker was desperate to leave because of a lack of game time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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Reports strongly linked him with a move to the Argentine giants earlier this year, six months after joining United on a free transfer.
And he even personally contacted Boca Juniors vice-president Riquelme to try and force it through, such was his unhappiness at Old Trafford.
The Argentino hero told TNT Sports via AS: “In January, Cavani called me to tell me that he wanted to come because he was playing little there.
“I’ve been talking to him for a long time and he called me in January to come over because he wasn’t playing there.
“I remember we talked one day and the next day he came in and scored two goals in the last minutes. He made a great comeback.
“From then on he began to score goals in all the games.”
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Cavani’s dad Luis confirmed the veteran forward was ‘unhappy’ in the north-west.
However, Uruguay national team boss Oscar Tabarez wanted his striker to stay with United for another season and test himself against the best defences ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
El Matador’s late-season form, scoring ten goals in his last 11 matches of the campaign, saw him rewarded with a new 12-month contract extension.
This term, he got his first goal for club or country with a quality finish over Hugo Lloris in the 3-0 win at Tottenham last week.
That was just his second start in 2021-22 because Solskjaer has picked Cristiano Ronaldo as his central striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation.
Cavani turns 35 in February and is expected to be playing elsewhere come next season as United eye a long-term No9.
Brazilian side Palmeiras reportedly have a ‘strategy’ to sign Cavani when his deal with the Red Devils expires.
Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid were also linked with a shock swoop.
CAV A LOT MORE
But for the time being, Solskjaer is confident the ex-PSG striker has plenty more to offer – especially alongside fellow veteran Ronaldo.
After the victory at Spurs, the Norwegian said: “We’ve got experience together with Cristiano and Edinson.
“I’ve been here more or less three years now as a manager and Tuesday’s training performance from Edinson Cavani is probably the best performance anybody has put in here.
“The old men led from the front. They played well together and have loads of respect for each other.
“We have loads of talented players to learn from those two and they have to learn as quick as they can.
“The work rate they put in and the quality was second to none. They play for the club, no matter what.”
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