Juan Roman Riquelme: Not Joining Manchester United Is My One Regret

Iconic Argentinian playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has admitted that declining the chance to join Manchester United counts as his one regret from his playing career.

Riquelme reportedly had the chance to move to Manchester in 2006, according to the Daily Mirror, after impressing Sir Alex Ferguson in Champions League action against the Red Devils.

But he stayed in Spain with Villarreal instead.

The Mirror translated quotes from Riquelme in Mundo Deportivo: "The only thing I regret in my career was a decision that I took, when at the hotel in England before the semi-final with Arsenal, when Manchester United came to buy me and I said no. I stayed at Villarreal, because I was very comfortable with my team-mates."

Manchester United fans would doubtless have loved to see Riquelme at Old Trafford—but it didn't turn out all bad. 

That same summer, they reinforced the midfield with Michael Carrick, and while the England international is a different kind of midfielder, he remains an important figure at the club to this day.

[Daily Mirror]