He called repeatedly — John Terry narrates how Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign him for Man United
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John Terry (left), Harry Redknapp (centre) and Sir Alex Ferguson (right) walk out before Michael Carrick s Testimonial match at Old Trafford, Manchester. || Image credit: Imago

He called repeatedly — John Terry narrates how Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign him for Man United

Faruq Ibrahim 18:08 - 26.04.2024

Chelsea legend John Terry revealed how his love for Chelsea helped him resist Sir Alex Ferguson's aggressive courting.

Former Chelsea captain John Terry has opened up about Sir Alex Ferguson's relentless pursuit to sign him for Manchester United during his youth career.

Ferguson's Persistent Pursuit

Terry, who spent an impressive 22 years at Chelsea, revealed that Ferguson regularly phoned his house every week during his youth career in an attempt to convince him to join Manchester United. Despite United's efforts and Ferguson's keen interest, Terry ultimately chose Chelsea as his home club.

In a chat with William Hill's podcast, Up Front with Simon Jordan, Terry shared his experience, stating: "I had Sir Alex Ferguson phoning my house every week to speak to me and my dad, checking that I was going to school and training correctly."

Chelsea legend John Terry || Imago
Chelsea legend John Terry || Imago

Choosing Chelsea

Despite the interest from Arsenal and Manchester United, Terry felt a strong sense of belonging at Chelsea. He recalled, "Even with all that, when I walked into Chelsea I just knew it was the right club for me. I felt like it was my home, like when you walk into a house and just feel you belong there for the next 20 years."

Terry expressed his gratitude to Jose Mourinho for his successful stint at Chelsea, where he won three Premier League titles under the Portuguese manager's leadership. Reflecting on Mourinho's time at Manchester United, Terry defended Mourinho's managerial record, especially his tenure at Old Trafford, which saw United win the Europa League and the League Cup.

"I would look at his time at Manchester United as being a successful one, compared to where they've been," Terry said. "When you see the press conferences of him talking about how he won three Premier Leagues and all the other managers won two, I think he's spot on with what he said."

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