Legendary manager Marcello Lippi has claimed he almost signed Roy Keane for Juventus .
Lippi, 71, had two spells in charge of the Serie A champions and also guided Italy to World Cup glory in 2006.
His first spell in Juve came to an end months before the thrilling Champions League semi-final with Manchester United in 1999.
Keane, who would be suspended for the final, fired United to a stunning victory in Turin but Lippi has revealed things could have been very different.
"I loved Keane. He was very close to moving to Juventus but then failed to negotiate," Lippi told the Mail.
Lippi went on to praise Keane's former teammates Paul Scholes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who he believes can be a success at Manchester United.
"Solskjaer was very good as a player and I hope he will do very well as a coach: he deserves it," Lippi added.
Lippi also opened up on his strong relationship with Alex Ferguson, who he admits was 'almost like a brother'.
The legendary Italian came close to showcasing his managerial skills in the Premier League, with a move to Tottenham once close.
"I was very close to Tottenham when I was coaching Juventus,' he said.
"They were very nice to me by contacting my son. But I didn't feel like leaving Turin and Juventus. For me, Juve was like Manchester United for Ferguson: a unique club that I loved to bits.
"I didn't speak English well and that was also a reason I declined."
