Micah Richards says Manchester City were reluctant to let him leave the club in 2014 to join Fiorentina, but that the form of Pablo Zabaleta persuaded him to move to Italy.
Richards spent 13 years at City, coming through the ranks to make 246 appearances for the club and win four major trophies including two Premier League titles.
But after injuries disrupted the end of his City career, he left the Etihad to move to Fiorentina in Serie A on transfer deadline day in 2014.
Reflecting on his decision to move abroad at a time when not many English players left the Premier League, fans favourite Richards told Sky Sports: “I was at Manchester City since the age of 14.
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