Rudi Garcia has revealed he was a finalist for the Manchester United job in 2021, undergoing two rounds of interviews before the club chose an interim manager. Despite the rejection, the French boss remains hopeful of a future opportunity in the Premier League.
The experienced manager, now 62, was in contention after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked. Garcia got through two interviews, but United decided to install Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis before appointing Erik ten Hag the following summer.
Garcia's near miss at Old Trafford
Garcia's stock was high at the time, having led Lyon to the semi-finals of the 2019/20 Champions League, eliminating Manchester City along the way. However, Lyon fell off the following season, and Garcia quit after a fourth-place finish.
He went on to manage Al Nassr, where he gave Cristiano Ronaldo his Saudi Pro League debut, followed by spells with Napoli and the Belgium national team. His most recent role was with Belgium.
Interviews with United officials
Speaking to The Athletic, Garcia said: "Yes, I interviewed twice to work in this fantastic club, one of the best clubs in the world. I'd like to work in England and I met Darren Fletcher (then technical director) and John Murtough (then football director)."
He added: "It was an interim role and they asked me what I would do once it was over. I told them I would do so well that I would be staying in Manchester, but they gave the job to Ralf."
Garcia also reflected on the pressure at big clubs: "Manchester United is a huge club but I'd coached at big clubs where the fans made amazing atmospheres: Roma, Marseille, Lyon, Napoli. That brings pressure and can be complicated but it's also wonderful when you win."
Language and future hopes
Garcia previously discussed the interview process with Le Figaro in 2022, emphasising the importance of speaking the local language. He recalled: "In Manchester, the interviews went pretty well. I saw John Murtough and Darren Fletcher, I told them I had to work on my English and Darren, who is Scottish, had a cool joke telling me that I did not yet have the level with the Scottish accent to answer, but that it was very good."
He added: "I find it respectful to speak the language in the country where you work. At Marseille or Lyon, I waged war on my players to take French lessons. When you see [Carlo] Ancelotti speaking our language despite leaving PSG, it's classy."
Despite his close call with United, Garcia remains keen on a Premier League move, having expressed his desire to work in England.
