Shock Lionel Messi to Man Utd claim as report reveals legend’s past stance

Shock Lionel Messi to Man Utd claim as report reveals legend’s past stance

One major factor has been identified as the reason why Manchester United was once the top-ranked Premier League team to sign Lionel Messi.

The most recent sources claim that Messi was “more charmed” by England’s historic clubs than by the wealth of the Etihad and would have preferred to join Manchester United over rivals Manchester City.

United would have had a significant edge if Messi had ever chosen to relocate to England in his peak because they have won the English championship a record 20 times.

The Daily Mirror has listed The Athletic as the source of the initial report.

They also state that when the Argentina great was 20 years old, Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly interested in signing him to United.

But Messi went on to shut down such exit rumours at the time by saying: “I’m happy in Barcelona. Why wouldn’t I be? I’ve realised my dream. It’s the best club in the world with the best players. My family are happy here; they like it.”

Ferguson and United may have lifted two more Champions Leagues if Messi had swapped the Camp Nou for Old Trafford.

After winning the Champions League in 2008, United reached the final again the following year. However, Barcelona triumphed as Messi scored a fantastic looping header and put in a man of the match display.

Messi stunned United again in the 2011 Champions League final, netting a fantastic low drive and winning another man of the match award to help Barca win 3-1.

Messi went on to become the greatest player of all time during a legendary spell at Barca, finishing with a record of 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games before leaving in August 2021 amid the Blaugrana’s financial problems.

The iconic forward reunited with his former Barca team-mate Neymar via a two-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain – where he also won the World Cup with Argentina in December 2022 – before joining David Beckham’s Inter Miami in July 2023.

Messi has brought a host of new fans to Major League Soccer while helping Inter Miami lift their first ever trophies, the Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield.

Netherlands hero Edgar Davids has revealed he had an ‘unbelievable experience’ meeting with Ferguson after deciding to leave Ajax in 1996.

Despite Davids’ huge respect for Ferguson, he snubbed United as he wanted to try out Serie A with AC Milan instead.

Meanwhile, a pundit has discussed the biggest problem facing Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho at Old Trafford.

According to Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ruben Amorim’s use of wing-backs and No 10s instead of wingers means it will be ‘hard’ for the pair to ever get into the team.

Both forwards have been tipped to leave United after being left out of Amorim’s squad for the recent derby win over City, with Rashford not having featured since