Ryan Giggs has outlined the closest he came to leaving Manchester United, which came during a period of heightened interest in him and teammate David Beckham.
The former Wales midfielder and current Wales manager played his entire senior career with the Red Devils and made over 900 appearances between 1990 and 2014.
During his glittering time at Old Trafford, he won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues four FA Cups and three League Cups.
However, his career could have panned out far differently if he had opted to move to one of Italy’s giant clubs midway through his United career.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Football Show, Giggs opened up on the closest he came to leaving United, saying: "Around 2002-2003 - the summer that David Beckham left - there was talk of me potentially going to Inter Milan. Now I never heard anything but I didn't have the greatest start to the season.
"I actually ended up doing ok that season but there was a lot of talk of one of us going and David ended up going, but that was the closest probably I ever got to leaving.
"But for me, I never wanted to leave. I always wanted that challenge every year and like you [Jamie Carragher], it was a team that I loved, loved playing for, and felt every year there was a challenge."
Giggs also maintained that there was always a challenge to keep him focused at Old Trafford. When probed by Carragher about if he ever wanted to leave United, Giggs responded: “Not really, Jamie. As a footballer, you always wanted a challenge and at the start of every season, I thought there was a challenge.
“Whether it was defending the league, or winning it back. Whether it was 'we've won a couple of leagues now, let's win the Champions League'. There was always a challenge."
