FORMER Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded him to join the Red Devils over Liverpool 17 years ago.
Evra, 41, swapped Monaco for Manchester in January 2006 after being linked with a move to both Inter Milan and Liverpool.
Evra compared his first meeting with Ferguson to an FBI interviewMark Robinson – The Sun
Getty Images – GettyThe Frenchman spent eight years with Man Utd[/caption]
After initially pondering a transfer to Anfield, his final decision was cemented following an extraordinary conversation with then-United boss Ferguson.
The Frenchman recently admitted that his first meeting with the Scot felt like “an FBI interview” as he was so direct and demanding.
When speaking to Rio Ferdinand on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel, Evra said: “Sir Alex spoke with my agent and we met at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.
“He didn’t speak French so it was more David Gill [negotiating]. My English wasn’t great so my agent was translating.
“I remember he was asking questions like, ‘do you drink?’ ‘No’. ‘Do you like to go out?’ ‘Sometimes’. ‘Are you ready to not lose a game?’ ‘Yeah’. ‘Are you ready to not even draw a game?’ ‘Yeah’.
“I feel like it was an interview from the FBI. And when I shook his hand – everything I say I was like, ‘I’m ready – if I let him down this man is going to kill me’, so it was really impressive.”
“Before United came my agent said we had Liverpool, Inter Milan, and United. I remember my agent was so excited and saying, ‘Patrice, it’s Manchester United’.
“I was watching United because of Eric Cantona, so this was a big influence [on me], but when I met [Ferguson] you feel something special.
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“If you do well for this man you will win and achieve things for this club.”
Evra made 379 appearances for Man Utd before leaving to join Juventus in 2014.
During his time at Old Trafford he won five Premier League titles, three League Cups and a Champions League title.