Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit regrets snubbing Sir Alex Ferguson because his wife preferred him to join Chelsea over Manchester United.
The World Cup winner was best known for his midfield partnership with Patrick Vieira, which helped clinch a Premier League and FA Cup double with the Gunners in 1998. When he left Highbury to join Barcelona in 2000 to satisfy personal reasons, Petit looked for a return to the Premier League after a forgettable stint in La Liga. Ferguson was eager to bring him to Old Trafford to add extra bite to their midfield.
However, Petit spurned both the Red Devils and a reunion with Arsenal, opting instead for Chelsea, who at the time were not the powerhouse they would later become. But the now 53-year-old is coy to admit he may have made a mistake by following the wishes of his then wife Agathe de la Fontaine and allowing himself to be won over by Claudio Ranieri.
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“Sir Alex Ferguson called me twice, Arsene called me as well,” Petit disclosed in an interview with SFR. “Claudio Ranieri actually came to see me and ate with me at my house. I was charmed by him, what he had to say, and that’s why I wanted to sign for Chelsea.
“Remember, at the time, there was Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Teddy Sheringham, David Beckham. They had an incredible team. Jaap Stam at centre-back. Peter Schmeichel in goal.”
Petit’s £7.5million transfer to west London led to a varied two-and-a-half years before he retired. While there were some high points during his time at Stamford Bridge, the Frenchman harbours some regret for not moving to Old Trafford, reports the Mirror.
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Speaking to FourFourTwo, he revealed: “I should have gone to Manchester United, because Sir Alex Ferguson called me twice. We had a very good conversation and it was tempting, but once again I listened to my wife.
“She wanted to go back to London, she didn’t want to live in Manchester, so I made the same mistake twice in one year.”
Petit tied the knot with French actress De la Fontaine in 2000, but the couple parted ways in 2002 after having one child.
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