Former Manchester United man, Paul Scholes, has revealed his biggest regret in football.
According to the former England midfielder, asking for a pay rise from former United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, after a lucrative offer from another club makes him regret till this moment.
Inter Milan came with a lucrative offer to sign the former England international after he helped the Red Devils win the treble in 1999-2000.
Scholes said that the Italian giants were willing to pay him £4m-a-year after tax, ‘more than double’ his then salary at Old Trafford.
Scholes rejected the offer but approached Manchester United through manager, Alex Ferguson and asked for a pay rise.
Ferguson immediately turned down the player’s request.
“I was 25 and Inter Milan wanted to give me £4million a year, tax-free. Back then, that was massive,” Scholes said on The Overlap.
“It was probably more than double what I was on at United.
“I actually still put up the courage [to ask Fergie for a pay rise], I thought, I’m still going to go to him.
“I think I said something like, I think I deserve more money, or I want to be on more money.
‘What am I doing? I’m just looking at him and he pulled out that little black book he always had… You remember the little black book he has?
“So, he’s flicking through the pages for like five minutes and then he goes, ‘No, I think you’re all right. I think you’re level with everyone. It’s fine.
“That is the worst. That’s my biggest regret in football, doing that. It was horrible. My heart is beating now just thinking about it because I feel so bad about doing it.”
The 50-year-old did not leave Manchester United for another ten years.
Scholes ended up playing over 700 games for the Red Devils.