Paul Scholes Reveals Which Club Offered To Double Man Utd Salary, Biggest Career Regret

Manchester United fable Paul Scholes has revealed he was offered a net that dwarfed his wages astatine Old Trafford, to time off his boyhood nine successful nan summertime of 2000.

Scholes was 1 of nan champion goalscoring midfielders successful nan world astatine nan time, earlier yet dropping into a deep-lying play-maker domiciled later successful his career.

He had conscionable collected his 4th Premier League title successful six seasons arsenic a first-teamer, was a Champions League victor arsenic portion of nan treble successful 1998–99, and was a cardinal subordinate for England.

There was liking successful respective United players from Serie A astatine nan time, pinch Italy’s apical formation keen to clasp onto its tag arsenic nan champion successful nan world. Ryan Giggs was nan taxable of attraction from Juventus, while Roy Keane besides considered joining nan Turin giants. For Scholes, nan connection came from Inter.

“I sewage a telephone telephone from an agent—Ryan Giggs’s agent, Harry Swales,” Scholes explained connected nan latest section of nan Stick to Football podcast. “It was astatine Euro 2000, aft [England] had conscionable beaten Germany. He said, ‘Inter Milan want to springiness you £4 cardinal ($5.3 million) per year, taxation free.’”

Scholes (left) was contacted by Ryan Giggs’s supplier pinch nan offer. / Phil Cole/Allsport

It’s comparative mini fry by 2025’s standards, but that was tremendous money successful English shot successful those days. For reference, Roy Keane’s caller statement signed successful December 1999 paid him £50,000 per week, assumed to beryllium pre-tax, and was nan astir lucrative woody successful Britain astatine nan time. Scholes stood to pouch nan balanced of £77,000 nett each and each week successful Italy.

“It was bigger than I was getting then… astir apt much than double,” he recalled.

“I retrieve seeing [the story] connected nan backmost of a [news]paper—‘£30 cardinal to Inter Milan’, aliases something. But I ne'er heard thing astir it ever again aft that. I evidently said nary to Harry.”

Hosting nan podcast, Gary Neville chimed successful astatine that moment: “The logic that I deliberation you won’t person heard thing astir it again—I don’t cognize this for a fact—I fishy [Inter] contacted [Manchester United] and [Alex Ferguson] conscionable wholly unopen it down.”

Scholes (left) was motivated to talk his Man Utd net pinch Sir Alex Ferguson (middle). / Alex Livesey/Allsport

But while Scholes had nary volition of leaving United, he admitted it did punctual thing which he now looks backmost connected arsenic being nan azygous biggest regret of his career.

“I’ll show you thing funny. We sewage to preseason and I was told, ‘Paul, spell and spot nan head to show him you want much money.’ It’s nan worst point I ever did successful my life, honestly. I felt truthful bad. I deliberation I said thing like, ‘I deliberation I merit much money.’ What americium I doing?!” he added.

“[Ferguson] pulled a small achromatic book retired and was flicking done nan pages for for illustration 5 minutes [and said], ‘No I deliberation you’re level pinch everyone, it’s fine.’ That’s my biggest regret successful football, doing that. My bosom is beating reasoning astir it now, because I felt truthful bad astir doing it.”

This week’s Stick to Football podcast pinch Paul Scholes is disposable now connected YouTube and each starring podcast platforms.

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