'I knew I had to leave Man Utd after talk with manager - it was the worst'

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha described the concern surrounding his Old Trafford exit "the worst" and opened up astir the speech helium had with Sir Alex Ferguson astatine the time

Louis Saha says helium was forced to permission Manchester United aft a frank speech with Sir Alex Ferguson.

The erstwhile France international, present 46, signed for the Red Devils from Fulham - United's opponents this evening (January 26) - midway done the 2003/04 play for a chill £12.4million. He spent the bulk of the adjacent four-and-a-half years playing 2nd fiddle to the likes of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez successful attack, but inactive managed to nett a steadfast 42 goals successful 124 appearances - conscionable 76 of which were starts.

The extremity came for Saha erstwhile helium sat retired the 2008 Champions League final. Two years earlier, he'd fluffed the accidental to play successful the World Cup last owed to suspension, and vowed to ne'er fto an accidental similar that gaffe done his grasp again.

But an ill-timed genu wounded took the contented retired of the striker's hands, leaving him devastated. "It was the worst," Saha told FourFourTwo successful 2019. "I'd worked truly hard to travel backmost from injury, and I'd besides learned from my mistake astatine the World Cup."

Saha had started conscionable 10 games each season, and the disappointment of missing the biggest crippled successful nine shot compelled him to telephone his United tenure quits. "It was aft missing that last that I talked to the manager and said, 'I request to leave'," helium admitted.

Ferguson told him helium wouldn't basal successful his way, and a transportation to Everton was agreed soon after. Saha says helium inactive holds Sir Alex successful precocious regard, but that the agony of missing the Champions League last inactive haunts him.

"It took maine 4 oregon 5 years to realise however achy it was," helium said. "When I wrote my book, due to the fact that erstwhile I yet tried to explicate however it felt, I realised however overmuch harm it did to my confidence.

"It became precise spiritual for maine erstwhile I missed the Champions League last arsenic good [as the World Cup final]. I thought, 'Why has God fixed maine these platforms to perform, but past taken it distant from me?' It was the archetypal clip I ever cried astir football. I couldn't carnivore it - I was successful symptom for 2 oregon 3 weeks."

Speaking astir his Everton switch, helium insisted: "It was the close determination astatine the close infinitesimal for me. I loved Manchester United - I had a batch of injuries but the manager was ever determination for me. He taught maine to beryllium loyal and person respect. Those things stay wrong maine today."

Saha enjoyed a fruitful three-and-a-half twelvemonth spell connected Merseyside earlier concisely joining Tottenham successful 2012. The ex-Fulham, Newcastle and Metz guardant aboriginal played for Sunderland and Lazio earlier hanging up his boots successful 2013.

The authoritative programme screen for Manchester United v Rangers has been revealed, and it is paying tribute to 'The King', Denis Law. As good arsenic the cover, determination volition beryllium peculiar features wrong dedicated to the Manchester United and Scotland legend. Copies volition beryllium disposable astatine Old Trafford connected matchday or online.