Former Inter hero Gianluca Pagliuca has revealed former President Massimo Moratti blocked a possible move to Manchester United in 1997.
The former Italy international helped Inter win the UEFA Cup in 1997-98 and kept 82 clean sheets in his 234 matches for the Nerazzurri between 1994 and 1999.
But the retired shot stopper has revealed he had been able to join the English Premier League twice but was happy to remain at San Siro when the superstars arrived in Milan.
Former Inter hero Gianluca Pagliuca has revealed former President Massimo Moratti blocked a possible move to Manchester United in 1997.
The former Italy international helped Inter win the UEFA Cup in 1997-98 and kept 82 clean sheets in his 234 matches for the Nerazzurri between 1994 and 1999.
But the retired shot stopper has revealed he had been able to join the English Premier League twice but was happy to remain at San Siro when the superstars arrived in Milan.
“In 1997, when I returned to the national team, Manchester United asked about me,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “It’s not that I said no, it was Moratti saying: ‘Pagliuca doesn’t move’.
“Then in 1999, Aston Villa came for me, but also Deportivo la Coruna in Spain, who then won La Liga. I have no regrets, top players started to come, for example Ronaldo.”
Pagliuca started at Bologna, where he is currently working as a goalkeeper coach, before moving to Sampdoria in 1986 and helped the Blucerchiati win three Coppa Italia, the Cup Winners’ Cup and the Scudetto during his time at the Marassi.
After leaving Inter in 1999, he returned to Bologna, before retiring in 2007 after a stint at Ascoli. But the former hero has great memories of the month May.
“I made my debut on May 8, on my dad’s birthday,” he said. “I won the UEFA Cup with Inter in Pairs, the Coppa Italia with Sampdoria.”
Serie A is hoping to resume play this summer but Pagliuca understands if the players are scared of the return.
“If I were a footballer, I would be a bit scared. I would resume in September, certainly with the hope that in the meantime they’ll be able to find a cure for Covid-19.
“But in my heart, I hope the championship will restart, seriously. I miss football matches on the Sunday, or the Saturday. Our games in the spring, or the Premier League, which I love.”