Dutch icon Edgar Davids explains why he rejected Manchester United despite ‘unbelievable experience’ with Sir Alex Ferguson

Juventus legend Edgar Davids has opened up on turning down an offer to join Manchester United. The former Dutch midfielder said while he had a great conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson, he eventually snubbed the Red Devils to go to Italy.

He said (via BetMGM):

"When I left Ajax in 1996, there was a good chance of me going to Manchester United. I had a conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson and it was one of the most unbelievable experiences I had in my whole career. He was funny, charming, intelligent – basically everything you wanted."

"The big boys were in Serie A and that’s where I wanted to go at that time of my career. That was the main reason why I chose to go to AC Milan. I don’t regret not going to Manchester United. I’ve seen Sir Alex since and we had a good laugh about it all and there are still the same good feelings between us," he added.

After a strong stint with Ajax as a young player, Davids earned a move to AC Milan in 1996. Poor performances and injury made it a forgettable year and he quickly moved to Juventus the following campaign in 1997, where he became a key player for the Bianconeri. He formed a great partnership with Zinedine Zidane in the middle of the park, helping the side lift three Serie A titles as well as the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Later in his career, Davids did move to the Premier League, joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2005 for two seasons.

Matthijs de Ligt heaps praise on fellow Manchester United star

Yoro returned from injury in November.

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has lauded youngster and centre-back Leny Yoro. The Dutchman highlighted the 19-year-old's pace and ability on the ball as key attributes.

Speaking to MUTV, de Ligt said:

“Obviously I saw some footage of him. I think he’s a really great talent. He has a lot of tools to become a really good defender, a really good modern defender."

He added:

“He’s fast, he’s good with the ball, he’s quick, he’s tall, he’s good in headers. He’s now back from injury, so I think it’s really important for the team to have a lot of options."

Yoro is a much sought-after defender after impressing for Ligue 1 side Lille. Fighting off competition from Real Madrid, Manchester United secured him this summer for a fee of €62 million.

However, United were dealt a blow as he suffered an injury in pre-season, keeping him out until November. He has looked good since his return, featuring primarily on the right of Ruben Amorim's back three, having played five games this season.