Manchester United were among the clubs who tried in vain to take Javier Zanetti away from his beloved Inter, the Argentine has revealed.
One of the most popular players in the Nerazzurri’s history, the evergreen defender joined the club in 1995 from Banfield and remained until hanging up his boots in 2014.
Even after calling time on his playing career, he has remained as the club’s vice-president and recently explained why he turned down moves to the Red Devils, among others.
“There were rumours about Manchester United wanting to sign me during the late ’90s and I even met Sir Alex Ferguson once in England when I was in an airport with my wife,” he told FourFourTwo.
“We talked a little bit about football but I always wanted to stay at Inter, even during those difficult years, and it would have been tough for me to leave under any circumstances.
“It wasn’t just Manchester United, there were other big clubs interested in me as well but my love for Inter always tipped the scales.”
Zanetti made over 850 appearances in all competitions for the Nerazzurri and won every major honour available to him during his lengthy spell at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com