I cried on drive to Chelsea as I didn’t want to go– Arsenal came in for me first

Shaun Wright-Phillips did not want to leave Manchester City, but he had to move to Chelsea in 2005. He was very emotional about it and even cried on his way to London. He had grown up playing for City and loved the fans, the club, and the city itself.

Shaun, the son of Arsenal legend Ian Wright, started his career at Nottingham Forest’s academy before joining Manchester City. At City, he became a key player and even got a spot on the England team. However, City needed money and had to sell him. Arsenal showed interest first, but they wanted to wait until January. Shaun didn’t think about leaving because he was happy at City and wanted to stay there forever.

Chelsea then made a £21 million offer, and City accepted it. Shaun said he didn’t want to leave, but he wasn’t given much of a choice. He found out months later that the club had to sell him to avoid going into financial trouble. He said he had no idea the club was in such a bad situation.

At Chelsea, things started slowly for him, but he eventually won the Premier League in his first season. In his second season, he helped the team win the FA Cup. Shaun played 125 games for Chelsea before returning to Manchester City in 2008. Meanwhile, Arsenal bought Theo Walcott from Southampton that same summer instead of waiting for Shaun. Walcott became a successful player for Arsenal over time.

Shaun said he always wanted to stay at Manchester City and had never planned to leave. He was very attached to the club where he spent most of his career. Now, his son D’Margio Wright-Phillips continues the family football legacy. D’Margio is a winger like his dad and plays for a Belgian team called Beerschot after starting his career at Stoke City.

Shaun’s journey in football took unexpected turns, but he still achieved significant success in the game.