PETIT ON SIR ALEX'S ATTEMPT TO SIGN HIM
Emmanuel Petit recently shared how Sir Alex Ferguson made an effort to sign him for Manchester United before he eventually joined Chelsea in 2001. Petit, who had already built an impressive career at Monaco, Arsenal, and Barcelona, revealed that Ferguson personally contacted him twice while he was unsettled at Barcelona, hoping to bring him to Old Trafford.
Petit first made his name at Monaco, where he amassed 291 appearances before joining Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal in 1997.
Under Wenger’s guidance, he enjoyed great success, helping the Gunners secure the Premier League and FA Cup double in the 1997/98 season, as well as winning two consecutive Charity Shields. However, after an underwhelming year at Barcelona, where he struggled to settle, Petit sought a return to the Premier League in 2001, and interest in his services came from multiple clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea.
In an interview with BetMGM, Petit reflected on his tough spell in Spain and Ferguson's pursuit. "Before I joined Chelsea, Sir Alex Ferguson called me twice as he knew I wasn't happy at Barcelona. We spoke at length about the project," Petit said. Despite Ferguson’s attempts, Petit ultimately chose Chelsea, largely due to Claudio Ranieri’s personal approach. "Claudio came in person to meet me. We had lunch together, and he was so kind. He really convinced me that Chelsea was the right move," Petit explained.
Even after Petit had signed with Chelsea, Ferguson tried one last time to bring him to United. "Ferguson called me twice, one of which was a couple of weeks after I had arrived at Chelsea, but I had already made my mind up," Petit added. Interestingly, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger also reached out to Petit, expressing an interest in re-signing him, but Ranieri’s direct involvement sealed the deal for Chelsea.
Petit’s time at Chelsea spanned three years, with 76 appearances before his retirement in 2004. Unfortunately, he didn’t achieve the same trophy success at Stamford Bridge as he did at Arsenal. While he missed out on winning silverware at Chelsea, Manchester United went on to win the Premier League title in the 2002/03 season, as well as the FA Cup and Community Shield the following year.
In another surprising revelation, Petit recently admitted that he came close to signing for Tottenham Hotspur before joining Arsenal in 1997. Speaking on the *Seaman Says* podcast, hosted by former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman, Petit explained that he was moments away from becoming a Spurs player when he changed his mind and chose 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 recalled with a laugh, reflecting on how quickly the situation changed.
Petit also opened up about his relationship with Arsene Wenger, a figure who played a pivotal role in his career. "I wanted to reunite with Arsene. He brought me into the first team at Monaco and took me from the academy. I know what I owe to Arsene, more as a person than as a player, because he was like a father to me for many years," Petit shared.
Through these revelations, Petit offered a fascinating glimpse into some of the key decisions that shaped his career, including his close calls with both Manchester United and Tottenham.