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Football

22nd Feb 2016

VIDEO: Gianluigi Buffon opens up on the three Premier League clubs that almost signed him

Conan Doherty

Imagine.

Gigi Buffon, the legend that is, was close to plying his trade in the Premier League.

Not once, not twice, but thrice.

The Italian stopper – one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest – revealed that he was approached on three different occasions by three English rivals at three different time for his signature.

In fact, before he sealed an historic move to Juventus 15 years ago, both Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson were sniffing around him.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of Manchester United and Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus

“I remember when I was 20 years old in 1998, I had dinner once with Arsene Wenger,” he said, breaking the hearts of Arsenal fans everywhere who have had to put up with goalkeeping problems ever since David Seaman pissed off.

“Manchester United definitely had their eyes on me for a long time with Ferguson.”

But he was closest to making the move from Italy back in 2007 when Manchester City were beginning their financial revolution.

Manchester City FC v Juventus - UEFA Champions League

“Let’s say the most serious and direct approach I had was from Manchester City,” Buffon revealed.

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Watch the full video below.

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