Manchester United not Arsenal were Henry’s first choice but Ferguson said NO
Thierry Henry could have ended up a Manchester United legend and not Arsenal had Alex Ferguson sanctioned the deal after the world cup winner indicated interest in joining the Red Devils.
Ned Kelly, who was former head of security at Manchester United for 12 years, revealed that Thierry Henry who was then a winger at Juventus preferred a move to Manchester United and sounded out Sir Alex Ferguson but the Scot said no.
Kelly, who also acted as a bodyguard for Eric Cantona, Ferguson, David Beckham, said it was Cantona’s brother, Jean-Marie, that alerted United that Henry was willing to make the switch to Old Trafford but Ferguson wasn’t interested in the French man.
“In the tunnel after the game my phone goes, Eric’s older brother Jean-Marie [Cantona] says, ‘Ned, tell Alex [Ferguson] that Thierry Henry wants to come to the club’,” Kelly told beIN Sports.
“Now this was before he [Henry] went to Arsenal, his first choice was Manchester United. So I go to the boss and say, ‘boss, I’ve just had Jean-Marie Cantona on the phone, he had said Henry wants to come to the club’.
“He [Ferguson] says, ‘no way, he’s always f****** injured’. He went to Arsenal, the rest is history.”
United’s loss was Arsenal’s gain as the French man led the London club to the only unbeaten Premier League title in 2003.
He also scored a total of 228 goals in 375 games for the club, including 92 assists.
