Henrik Larsson says his one career regret is leaving Manchester United too soon. The Swedish striker spent only half a season at Old Trafford on loan in 2007, scoring three goals in 13 Premier League appearances and earning a league medal under special dispensation. He returned to Sweden despite Sir Alex Ferguson's pleas to keep him.
The comments come as current Manchester United boss Michael Carrick continues his summer transfer business, having signed Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Karl Darlow so far.
A loan spell that left a lasting impression
Larsson joined United during the January 2007 transfer window and made an immediate impact. Speaking to FIFA in 2010, he said: "If there is one regret I have from my career, it is that I came home to Sweden when Mr Ferguson was trying to get me to stay at Manchester United. I should have stayed at United for longer because I had a great time there and everyone at the club was very keen to keep me. My time there was too short."
"The whole experience was fantastic and, although I was 35 at the time, I still felt that I had some good football in me. That is a regret."
Ferguson: 'I would have done anything to keep him'
Ferguson later described Larsson's impact: "I would have done anything to keep him. His three goals for us was no measure of his contribution. In his last game in our colours at Middlesbrough, we were winning 2-1 and Henrik went back to play in midfield and ran his balls off."
"On his return to the dressing room, all the players stood up and applauded him and the staff joined in. It takes some player to make that kind of impact in two months."
Success at Celtic and Barcelona
Larsson enjoyed a trophy-laden career before and after his United spell. At Celtic, he won four league titles, two Scottish Cups and was runner-up in the UEFA Cup. He left for Barcelona in 2004 and won the Champions League in his final game for the club, assisting twice in a 2-1 win over Arsenal.
He returned to boyhood club Helsingborg and retired in 2009.
