▁Madrid ▁in ▁the ▁en su ing ▁years , ▁with ▁players ▁such ▁as ▁Michael ▁O wen ▁saying ▁they ▁asked ▁him ▁for ▁advice ▁before ▁signing ▁with ▁Madrid , ▁and ▁later ▁encourag ed ▁G are th ▁B ale ▁to ▁sign ▁for ▁Madrid ▁a ▁de cade ▁later . ▁When ▁B ale ▁signed , ▁Mc Man aman ▁gave ▁B ale ▁advice ▁on ▁how ▁to ▁succeed ▁at ▁Madrid . ▁B ale ▁later ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁to ▁em ulate ▁Mc Man aman ▁when ▁he ▁ended ▁up ▁winning ▁the ▁Champions ▁League ▁with ▁Madrid ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁season . ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁also ▁listed ▁in ▁Spanish - based ▁British ▁sports ▁rep orter ▁Sid ▁L owe ' s ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁Team ▁of ▁the ▁Dec ade ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 s . ▁ ▁Manchester ▁City ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 , ▁along ▁with ▁team m ates ▁Claude ▁Make le le ▁( where ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁initially ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁exchange ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁Madrid ' s ▁deal ▁with ▁Ch else a ), ▁Fernando ▁Hier ro ▁( who ▁signed ▁for ▁Bol ton ▁W ander ers ▁based ▁on ▁Mc Man aman ' s ▁advice ) ▁and ▁later ▁Fernando ▁Mor ientes , ▁Mc Man aman ▁head ed ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Premier ▁League . ▁Initial ly ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁joining ▁Ar sen al ▁or ▁Ever ton , ▁Mc Man aman ▁eventually ▁decided ▁to ▁join ▁long - time ▁adm ir er ▁Kevin ▁Ke eg an ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁August ▁at ▁Manchester ▁City , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁re union