Juan Sebastian Veron isn’t exactly remembered fondly by Manchester United fans.
The Argentine was backed for huge things when he signed from Lazio in 2001 for an eye-watering €36 million but he didn’t exactly take to the English game as Alex Ferguson may have hoped.
Veron scored just 11 goals in 82 games for the Red Devils before being moved on to Chelsea for a cut-price fee of €19 million just two seasons later.
Veron, who also struggled at Stamford Bridge, is well aware that he didn’t translate well to Premier League football but blames United for not recognising his worth on the pitch.
“My level in the Premier was never constant,” he told Spanish newspaper Marca.
“At Lazio it was the best football I did and at United I got devalued, my performances weren’t rising.”
Veron also singled out Ferguson for a lack of communication when the midfielder arrived from Italy.
“My stay in England was odd for the context and the methods,” he continued.
“It’s a league where you play a lot and train little, the rhythm is picked up in the league and not in the pre-season.
“I came from a place where the physical preparation was very important and it did not favour me. I learned English and I got along with everyone, it isn’t that I was alone in a corner.
“I communicated as I could but it’s true that Sir Alex is not a very open guy.”
