Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to play for both Manchester United and Manchester City earlier in his career. The legendary Italian shot-stopper will man the post when his side welcomes the Red Devils to Parc des Prince for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie.
Having joined Juventus for a then-world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper from Parma in 2001, Buffon enjoyed a successful 17-year spell with the Bianconeri before completing his switch to the Ligue 1 last year. Nonetheless, a revelation made by the 41-year-old ahead of Wednesday's European cup game indicates that his career could have taken a different path.
"When I was a boy playing for Parma, [Sir Alex] Ferguson tracked me closely for two or three years," the ex-Juve star exclusively told Rio Ferdinand for BT Sport.
"He'd always send scouts to watch me. At the time, Parma was my world and I didn't feel like leaving.
"I later had a very big offer from Manchester City, when they started to build the team and become the most important side in Europe," he added.
"They wanted me to be the first signing, but I stayed at Juve."
Despite amassing a stack of honors in his career which includes the 2006 FIFA World Cup, it is the UEFA Champions League trophy that has eluded Buffon. However, the veteran goalkeeper could have another shot at winning the title with his side a step closer to making it into the quarter-finals having won the first leg at Old Trafford.
