Clarence Seedorf has revealed he was close to joining Manchester United, but the former Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder turned down the club for two key reasons.
Two reasons behind the rejection
The former midfielder faced a major decision when he left Real Madrid at the turn of the millennium, with Sir Alex Ferguson attempting to convince him to move to Old Trafford.
However, the prospect of playing alongside Ronaldo (R9) and Christian Vieri proved too tempting, as did the Italian weather.
Speaking to Kobbie Mainoo on Amazon Prime Video Sport's YouTube channel, the 50-year-old admitted he "wanted to come here for a long time" and was "supposed to even play here."
Lippi's phone call sealed the deal
When the young United star asked why the transfer never happened, Seedorf explained: "I went to Inter Milan instead. Marcello Lippi, I don't know if you remember the coach, world champion with Italy.
"He called me. He said, 'Uh, Clarence, you want to come and play behind Ronaldo R9 and Christian Vieri?' I said, 'Okay, let me just take my bags. I'm coming.' Italy was a bit more familiar. Probably was the reason why I chose to go there as well."
At that point, Seedorf had established himself as a creative force in Real's engine room, netting 20 goals and providing 35 assists across 159 outings. He secured the La Liga crown, two domestic cups and the Champions League.
Move to Inter and later success at AC Milan
He departed for Inter Milan following three campaigns in Spain, joining the Serie A outfit for approximately £20million (€24m).
While he failed to lift any silverware there, he did achieve glory in Italy - albeit with Inter's bitter rivals. Seedorf made 432 appearances for AC Milan, netting 62 goals, providing 67 assists and claiming nine trophies, including two Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, two Serie A titles and three domestic cups.
Following a decade of glory at AC Milan, Seedorf headed to Botafogo in Brazil to bring his playing days to a close. He hung up his boots in 2014 after clinching the league title with his final club.
