'I was very close to signing for Man Utd – but Manuel Pellegrini made me change my mind'

Marcos Senna was connected the brink of signing for Manchester United astatine the highest of Sir Alex Ferguson's glory years, but Manuel Pellegrini convinced him to walk 3 much years with Villarreal

Marcos Senna astir joined Manchester United – until erstwhile Manchester City brag Manuel Pellegrini changed his mind.

The Brazilian midfielder - who opted to correspond Spain astatine planetary level - made his mode done the younker ranks of Rio Branco-SP, earlier making a determination to Corinthians successful 1999. Juventude came knocking successful 2001, earlier Senna teamed up with Sao Caetano successful the January of the precise adjacent year.

However, his clip astatine the Sao Paulo broadside was abbreviated and helium made the determination to Europe with Villarreal successful the summertime of 2002 aft conscionable 13 games. He spent the bulk of his vocation with the Spanish side, scoring 33 goals successful 361 appearances implicit an 11-year period.

But it could person been a wholly antithetic authorities of affairs for the footballing legend, who has since admitted that helium astir joined the Red Devils successful the summertime of 2006 to squad up with Sir Alex Ferguson. Speaking to Goal successful 2020 astir the failed move, Senna said: "I did not speech to [Ferguson], but my cause and Villarreal did, and I was precise adjacent to signing for Manchester United.

"At that signifier I was afloat of doubts, my woman was large with our archetypal lad and our adaptation present was excellent. Manchester United had asked maine for [a effect in] a fewer weeks, but we were creating a large squad here: the nine bought Robert Pires, Nihat Kahveci and Giuseppe Rossi was here, we had a large team.

"Personally, I would person loved to play for Manchester United astatine that time, but I besides had desires to enactment here. Villarreal had conscionable played a Champions League semi-final and were buying large players." But what changed the footballer's caput successful the expansive strategy of things? It turned retired to beryllium a chat with his manager astatine the time, Manuel Pellegrini.

He added: "To beryllium honest, I was 50/50 until I spoke to Pellegrini and yet I signed for 3 much years with Villarreal and astatine the extremity I spent each my European vocation present successful Spain." Senna won 2 Intertoto Cups with Villarreal earlier leaving the nine successful 2013 to walk 2 years astatine New York Cosmos - hanging his boots up successful 2015.

In stark contrast, United were enjoying their Premier League glory years astir the clip that Senna snubbed a transportation to the northbound west. Ferguson guided United to 5 Premier League trophies, 2 League Cups, 4 Charity Shields, a Club World Cup and a Champions League betwixt 2006 and his last run successful complaint successful the 2012/13 season.

Pellegrini, meanwhile, parted ways with Villarreal successful 2009, going connected to bask stints with Real Madrid, Malaga, Manchester City, Hebei China Fortune, West Ham, and Real Betis. He has been caput manager of the second since 2020.

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