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Paul Ince says he received a call from Sir Alex Ferguson when he was seconds away from agreeing his Manchester United departure.
The former England midfielder spent six seasons at Old Trafford and played a central role in Ferguson's initial success at the club. But he ended up falling victim to the Scotsman's notoriously fractious nature in the summer of 1995.
Ince was just 28 at the time, and despite being a key figure in United's team his relationship with Ferguson had all but deteriorated. The club accepted a £7.5million bid from Inter Milan and that looked to be that, only for Fergie to make an ambitious last-ditch effort to keep him.
Speaking to Ladbrokes 1-2 Free, Ince said he couldn't believe it when his wife told him Ferguson was on the phone, not least because representatives from Inter - including club president Massimo Moratti - were standing in his kitchen at the time. "We were just about to sign the contract when the phone rang," he said.
" picked it up and told me it was the gaffer. So I pick up the phone and ask him how he is. 'Listen, I'm in Colorado Springs on holiday, and I've been thinking, I don't want you to go now.
"I know we've got Nicky Butt coming through, but you're only 28, you're in your peak, I don't want you to go now'. 'Sorry, gaffer, I've got Inter Milan in my kitchen'.
"The last thing I could do, in that moment, was turn around and say I was staying at United. They were the ones who had accepted the offer in the first place. They were the ones who wanted to use the money for the training ground. I'd set my heart on going to Inter."
Ince held firm and his switch to the San Siro was confirmed a few days later. He ended up spending just two years in Italy, but established himself, just as he'd done at United, as one of Inter's most pivotal players, particularly during Roy Hodgson's reign.
Ince stuck to his guns and left Man United, before becoming a key player in Roy Hodgson's Inter team
In 1997 he returned to England after signing for United's great rivals Liverpool. Red Devils fans didn't particularly appreciate his decision, and nor (we assume) did Fergie, but to Ince's surprise, the pair mended their damaged relationship soon after and now consider each other good friends.
"We've always spoken," Ince said. "I've been to house, played snooker... we get on really, really well. He's always great to be with; he's always shared his advice whenever I've been in management."
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