Emmanuel Petit has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson made a serious attempt to bring the French midfielder to Manchester United before his eventual move to Chelsea in 2001. Petit, who had an impressive career spanning Monaco, Arsenal, and Barcelona, shared that Ferguson personally reached out twice during his troubled time at Barcelona, trying to convince him to join the Red Devils.
Petit initially rose to prominence at Monaco, making 291 appearances before Arsene Wenger brought him to Arsenal in 1997. Under Wenger, he flourished, playing a crucial role in the Gunners’ Premier League and FA Cup double in the 1997/98 season, as well as securing back-to-back Charity Shields. His success at Arsenal earned him a high-profile move to Barcelona in 2000, but his stint in Spain was short-lived, lasting only one season. In 2001, Petit sought a return to the Premier League, sparking interest from several clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United.
In a recent interview with BetMGM, Petit reflected on his difficult period at Barcelona and Ferguson’s efforts to lure him to Old Trafford. “Before I joined Chelsea, Sir Alex Ferguson called me twice as he knew I wasn’t happy at Barcelona and we spoke at length about the project,” Petit revealed. Despite the strong interest from United, Petit ultimately chose Chelsea, thanks to the personal approach of Claudio Ranieri, who flew to meet the midfielder and personally convinced him to join the Blues. “Claudio came in person to meet me. We had lunch together and he was so nice. He really convinced me that Chelsea was the right move,” Petit explained.
Although Ferguson made a final attempt to change Petit’s mind even after he had moved to Stamford Bridge, Petit stood firm. “Ferguson called me twice—one of which was a couple of weeks after I arrived—but I said I had made my mind up,” Petit said, adding that he also received interest from his former manager Arsene Wenger, who expressed a desire to bring him back to Arsenal.
Petit’s time at Chelsea lasted three years, during which he made 76 appearances before retiring in 2004. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, his time at Stamford Bridge did not bring the same silverware success he had enjoyed at Arsenal. While he failed to win any major titles at Chelsea, Manchester United lifted the Premier League trophy in the 2002/03 season, as well as the FA Cup and Community Shield the following year.
In another fascinating revelation, Petit recently admitted that he nearly signed for Tottenham Hotspur before joining Arsenal in 1997. Speaking on the *Seaman Says* podcast, hosted by former teammate David Seaman, Petit shared that he was moments away from signing for Spurs when he decided to join Arsenal instead. “The same day I joined Arsenal, I was in the Spurs office. They paid for a cab for me to go and sign for Arsenal,” Petit said humorously, reflecting on the dramatic turn of events.
Petit also spoke about his special relationship with Wenger, who played a significant role in shaping his career. “I wanted to reunite with Arsene. He brought me into the first team in Monaco. He took me from the academy… I know what I owe to Arsene, more as a person than as a player because he was acting as a father with me for years,” Petit shared.
With these insights, Petit has shed light on some of the pivotal moments in his career and the close calls that could have seen him donning a different club’s colors.
