Sir Alex Ferguson once tried to make a signing for Manchester United by phoning the player, but was eventually rejected.
Ferguson, aged 83, will always be regarded as one of the most outstanding managers in the history of football. During his tenure at United, he guided the team to secure 13 Premier League titles and three Champions League victories, among numerous other accolades.
Ferguson was frequently a significant attraction for players aspiring to join United; however, one former England international declined an opportunity to move to Old Trafford, despite receiving a call from the iconic manager.
The player in question is John Terry, a Chelsea and England legend, who ultimately became one of the nation’s greatest defenders. In a conversation with Simon Jordan in 2024, Terry recounted that he was pursued by clubs such as United, Arsenal, and Chelsea during his youth.
He explained: “I was at West Ham for two or three years before that. Jimmy Neighbour was our trainer, he was a fantastic coach, and one day we turned up and we had a new coach for our Under 13s. And I came away from the session and said to my dad ‘I’m not going back’.
“So I left there, went to Arsenal for a year, and in this time I was kind of floating between Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea.”
Terry continued: “Arsenal had rolled out the red carpet for me, Man United had done the same. I had Sir Alex Ferguson phoning my house, and Chelsea didn’t do anything. All they offered me was a pair of boots each season and my £2 expenses for getting the train, nothing else.
“When I walked into Chelsea, I knew Chelsea was the right club for me, I just felt it was home.”
Leave a Reply