“I basically paid him lip service” – Michael Owen opens up on how Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign him at Manchester United as a youngster after interest from Arsenal and Chelsea
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen recently revealed how former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign him after interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.
Owen was once the hottest prospect in English football. He enjoyed a phenomenal career as well, winning two Golden Boot awards as a teenager and the FIFA Ballon d'Or award.
A lifelong Liverpool fan, Owen started his career at Anfield. He scored 158 goals and provided 47 assists in 297 matches for the Reds.
Hence, other Premier League giants like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United were interested in signing him.
Here's what the legendary striker recently said (via metro.co.uk):
"I remember Arsenal taking me down on the train, one of the scouts took me down, And they were about to play against Coventry, at Highbury and Ian Wright met me in the marble reception area, literally an hour and a half before the game. He brought me in and showed me around the dressing room, introduced me to all the players."
He further added:
"I met George Graham and I went watched the game and in a box. Actually, it was Coventry that won. I think Mick Quinn scored a hat trick that game. So that was real red carpet treatment, you know, Ian Wright, the star of the show, coming out of the dressing room to meet me and I would have only been about 12 at the time. Glenn Hoddle was another one. I think Chelsea were playing Norwich, at Stamford Bridge."
He further added how Ferguson wanted him to be a Manchester United player:
"I’ll never forget it. Sir Alex Ferguson, when I was only very young, he literally looked me in the eye in his office at Old Trafford, again on game day, and he just looked at me and said, ‘Do you want to play for Manchester United?’ [I said yes] but obviously, you know, deep down I was, a Liverpool fan at that time – I’d been playing at the club. So you know, I basically paid him lip service."
Michael Owen eventually played for Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson
While Sir Alex Ferguson failed to bring young Michael Owen to United, the Englishman eventually arrived at the club as an experienced campaigner.
He joined the Red Devils from Newcastle United back in 2009, taking the vacant No. 7 shirt after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Real Madrid.
However, Owen was not the same player he used to be during his younger days. He still managed to score 17 goals and provide three assists in 52 games for the Red Devils.