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Ask Darko Pančev something he regrets from his football career, and there’s a good chance he’ll say turning down a chance to join Manchester United.

Moving to Inter Milan in 1992 from Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), where he was a goalscoring hero, the striker met manager Osvaldo Bagnoli and the pair didn’t get along.

In 2016, Pančev told Gazzetta dello Sport: “He was not a bad coach, but was not meant for Inter. But it was the whole situation around me that has led me to despair at not being able to give my best.

“And to think that I had turned down offers from Real, Barça, Manchester United… ”

He’s returned to the same situation again, this time speaking to Germany’s Der Tagesspiegel ahead of Bayern Munich’s Champions League match against Crvena Zvezda on Wednesday evening.

Pančev, now 54 years of age, was even more frank about his regret at not taking the opportunity to move to Old Trafford, and instead continuing his woes at Inter Milan: “I was very popular in 1992 and received many transfer offers, but decided unfortunately for the wrong club. Inter had an average team in the shadow of city rivals AC Milan. In addition, I had enormous disagreements with the former coach Osvaldo Bagnoli, which was of course counterproductive.

“Nevertheless, the following winter I received an offer from Sir Alex Ferguson, who wanted to guide me to Manchester United. However, I did not follow the call, because I wanted to prove to the Italians that I could do it in Serie A. I was a fool.”

In 1994 he went on loan to Bundesliga side VfB Leipzig (now called FC Lokomotive Leipzig, and in the sixth division of German football), before moving permanently to Fortuna Dusseldorf, finally ending his career at Sion in 1997.

He’s probably right, turning down Manchester United doesn’t look to have been the best decision.

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