Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has revealed Sir Alex Ferguson tried to persuade Carlo Ancelotti to replace him at Manchester United last summer.
The Red Devils’ legendary manager stepped down from his post at Old Trafford, ending his 27 years of successful career at United. The Italian manager left Paris Saint-Germain and joined the Spanish capital club to take in charge of the 2013-14 season.
Perez admitted the former Chelsea boss informed him about United’s approach and says the Old Trafford outfit would have approached him after sacking their former manager David Moyes.
“Manchester United wanted him [Ancelotti] last year. He told me that Ferguson asked him to be his replacement. Possibly United wanted him this year (as well) but I don’t know. I can only assure you that they wanted him last year,” Perez told radio station Cadena Cope.
Real defeated their arch-rivals Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final and also won the Cope del Rey by registering a victory over Barcelona earlier this year.
Earlier reports suggested that Ancelotti could have shown the exit door by Perez if he had failed to win the Europe’s elite club competition. However, the Spanish club’s president has rejected
“No. I have read that but the season was already good. Winning is always better and can consolidate complicated situations but it was not our case,” Real chief explained.
“We have a project that I just started with a new coach. We will continue to improve but we need time and stability.”
Meanwhile, the Italian manager has admitted that United did not make an approach to replace Ferguson last summer.
“No, no. Not true. When I decided to leave PSG I had the opportunity to come here. I didn’t want to stay at PSG. When I went there it was supposed to be about creating something. But after one year that had changed and it was just about the next result,” Ancelotti told the Daily Mail.
“When we went out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, they started to complain. I decided it was time to go.”
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