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Italian football icon Alessandro Del Piero admitted he once turned down a move to Manchester United.
The 48-year-old is a club legend at Juventus, having netted some 290 goals and provided 179 assists in his 19 years in Turin.
Widely regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation, Del Piero won six Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, four Supercoppa Italiana titles, the Champions League, the Super Cup, the Intertoto Cup and the Intercontinental Cup with the Italian giants.
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The forward was also named Serie A’s Italian Footballer of the Year award in 1998 and 2008 while he is currently the second-highest all-time Italian top-scorer in all competitions,
However, it could all have been very different for Del Piero, if the forward had accepted a move to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Del Piero to Man Utd?
Sky Sports Italy journalist Paolo Condo asked Del Piero whether age-old rumours Ferguson wanted to sign Del Piero and AC Milan talisman Paolo Maldini were true.
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The former striker responded: “Yes, he did. I can confirm that.”
When asked when Ferguson’s interest took place, the Italian coyly added: “Before 2000, but actually even afterwards.
“But don’t let me say any more then, if not…”
On the same show former England, AC Milan and Juventus manager Fabio Capello confirmed that he had also been the subject of interest from United.
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Capello explained: “There’s another one. [Ferguson's] son and agent came to visit me in Rome, we almost reached an agreement. When I returned home, I saw Ferguson had been confirmed there for three more years.
“In the morning he called me and said: ‘I am sorry Fabio, my wife wants me to work, she doesn’t want me at home, sorry, sorry’.”
Topics: Football, Sir Alex Ferguson, Alessandro Del Piero, Juventus, Manchester United, Fabio Capello
Chris Byfield