Patrice Evra: Someone blocked my return to Manchester United

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2017 by ESPN

Patrice Evra says he left Juventus on good terms and never expected to join Marseille.

Former Juventus left-back Patrice Evra nearly signed with Manchester United in January but says someone at the club blocked his potential return to the Old Trafford club.

Evra, 35, instead signed with ambitious Ligue 1 side Marseille on an 18-month deal. Though he revealed on Friday that he was set to join United but for one dissenting voice.

"I was very close to a return to Manchester United," Evra told Sky Italia on Friday.

"I also spoke with Mourinho but there was a person, whose name I will not say, who probably did not like the idea of my return.

"Even the fans were enthusiastic and would have been delighted, but because I realised that they [the club] would not do anything I then asked my agent to look for other teams.

"Marseille immediately won me over with their project and immediately created a great feeling.

"We only spent one day to close the deal. They really treated me like a God, making it clear they had a great need for me."

Evra left Juventus after two-and-a-half years with the Italian Champions. Though he hadn't been included in the Juve squad since the winter break, he admitted to Sky he still has "huge respect" for Juventus boss Max Allegri, and backed the him for success should he ever decide to manage in England.

"I have huge respect for the boss," Evra said.

"In fact, it hurt me a bit when people said I left because of Allegri. We had talked, and in my opinion he's a great coach and he proved that to me two years ago against Borussia Dortmund.

"He made a presentation for me that, when I got to the Dortmund game, for the first time in my career everything that he said happened on the day of the match.

"He's very positive, he doesn't like stress. I think he'd do well in England, because I've always said they lack tactical discipline in England.

"That's why an Italian coach is crucial. We saw that with [Claudio] Ranieri and now [Antonio] Conte. I think Chelsea will win the League.

"If the boss [Allegri] goes there I don't see why he wouldn't do well."