Kevin-Prince Boateng has revealed Manchester United turned down the chance to sign him in 2013.
The 32-year-old would have been one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s final transfer targets before the Scot’s retirement six years ago.
Boateng claims Ferguson believed he was ‘a jack of all trades and master of none’.
And the Ghana international ended up joining Schalke after leaving AC Milan.
Boateng, who currently plays for Serie A club Fiorentina, told Goal and DAZN: “I am 32 years old now and I feel in good shape.
“I like the idea of playing as a false nine and have been considered a bit of a joker in the pack for years now.
“It can be an advantage, but also damaging to change roles all the time.
“Nobody knows that after Milan, I had the opportunity to join Manchester United, but Sir Alex Ferguson asked himself, ‘what position am I meant to play him in?’
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“I was a jack of all trades in his view and master of none. The transfer was abandoned and I started to focus on being more specific in my approach.”
Boateng has remarkably played for 12 different clubs during his career, with his most recent spell coming on loan at Barcelona last season.
And he wishes he’d had his current personality at a younger age: “Mentality is crucial,” Boateng added. “I started too late to really think about [my career]. Of course I regret that.
“As an 18-year-old, I would have needed an agent or a family to push me in the right direction. I would have liked that. But I had to fix everything myself.
“I know very well that I have also failed with my motivation, which has not always been 100 per cent there.
“If I would have had the absolute will, I would have been a starting XI player at Barcelona or would have played 10 years for Real Madrid or Manchester United.”