Former Manchester City player Micah Richards left Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer in wild excitement after acknowledging that he declined a massive £100k-per-week deal offer while he was with the Cityzens.
The ex-right back moved to the Manchester based club from Oldham in 2001 and graduated through the club’s academy, before making his first-team debut at 17 years of age.
Richards was one of the most admired full-backs in world football at the time and also became England’s youngest defender in 2006, breaking Rio Ferdinand’s record.
After rubber stamping his place in the club’s starting XI, it appeared like the Englishman was going to go through a long-lasting career at the peak with Manchester City.
But after the arrival of Pablo Zabaleta, Richards became just second fiddle to the Argentine under Roberto Mancini which obviously reduced his game time.
Micah Richards left Manchester City in 2015
Richards decided to exit City for Aston Villa in 2015 after making 245 appearances at the club lifting one Premier League title as he was not entitled for the second during the 2013/14 season.
However, the 34-year-old regrets not remaining at City for a lengthy period of time and penning a new contract as he established in a podcast with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
The Englishman narrated the situation with the BBC
Micah Richards told BBC Sport: “Stuart Pearce was the manager at the time. I was on 5k a week. He did try to do me one of these times. I was worth it, he offered me double the money, so 10k a week. But I was just getting into the England squad. So, I ended up on 50k a week and he tried to do me out of 40k a week.
“The story goes on. You had to have so much English players for the quota. So, Man City offered me 100k a week on a five-and-a-half-year deal. And I said no because I was number two behind Pablo Zabaleta, so I’m not all about the money.”
When quizzed about if he picked up from that choice yet, Micah Richards stated: “Why do you think I work for every f****** broadcaster? It’s the worst decision I have ever f****** made!” Lineker and Shearer burst into laughter before the BBC Match of the Day host, Gary Lineker, shouted “idiot” loudly.
However, the former Aston Villa man added: “I went to Aston Villa, that was less money. But then we got relegated in the first season, so my wages halved. So, I have gone from a 100k a week offer to £25k a week in the Championship.”
Richards was let go by Aston Villa in the summer of 2019 after the expiration of his contract. One month after, he announced his retirement from professional football after battling with several injuries.
Micah Richards currently works for Sky Sports, British Broadcasting Corporation and CBS Sports amongst others as a pundit.
Micah Richards Net Worth
According to reports, Micah Richards’s current net worth is $5 Million.
It would ruminate in the minds of many why the Englishman retired at such a young age when he has not made as much as expected.
Why and when did Micah Richards retire from football?
The former Manchester City, Fiorentina, Aston Villa and Three Lions of England defender retired in June 2019 because of persistent injuries.
Micah Richards statistics and trophies won
The Englishman played 298 games scoring 11 goals and creating 16 assists during his career across the clubs he represented.
In the Premier League, the defender garnered 49 cleansheet in 203 appearances.
Richards won three trophies during his not so lengthy career winning the FA Cup in 2010/11 alongside the English Premier League in 2011/12 and the English Football League Cup in 2013/14.
Is the 34-year-old married?
Micah Lincoln Richards relationship status is currently unknown and he presently isn’t a father of any child but some reports suggest that he is dating Helen Flanagan.
Who is Helen Flanagan?
Helen Flanagan was born on the 7th of August 1990 and she is an English actress.
She is widely known for playing the role of Rosie Webster in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2000 to 2012.
She repeated the character in 2017, before embarking on maternity leave on the 8th of June in 2018.
Helen Flanagan was born in Bury, Greater Manchester in England and she attended Westholme School in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Helen was engaged to Preston North End attacker Scott Sinclair on the 31st of May 2018 and they have two daughters and one son together.
Last October, the media announced that her over a decade relationship with Sinclair had ended.
