Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lucas Moura has admitted he came "really close" to signing for Manchester United.
The 20-year-old former Sao Paulo starlet was courted by the Red Devils and Inter Milan during the summer of 2012.
Old Trafford supremo Sir Alex Ferguson unusually confirmed his interest in the player, but was left angered by the Qatari-owned French club after they splashed out 45 million euros to snatch him from the Scot's grasp.
PSG announced on August 8 2012 they had agreed a deal for the Brazil international, but would allow him to remain in his homeland for a further six months.
Speaking in the June 2013 issue of FourFourTwo magazine - out now - Moura admits being allowed to stay at Sao Paulo until the turn of the year played a part in his decision to choose Paris over Manchester.
"I was really close to signing for Manchester United during the Olympics last year. It wasn't an easy decision but in the end I joined PSG, largely because they allowed me to stay in Brazil until the end of the year.
"And PSG's terms were better."
Lucas made his PSG debut in January 2013 and has made nine Ligue 1 appearances as well as Champions League outings against Valencia and Barcelona.
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The youngster represented Brazil at last summer's Olympics and continues to gather plaudits for his powerful displays in midfield.
But Lucas does not expect to captain his club or country anytime soon, as he does not believes he possesses the profile required for the role.
"It's very unlikely that I will be captain in any team," he says. "It requires a leadership profile that I simply don't have."
Read the full interview with Lucas Moura in the June 2013 issue of FourFourTwo digitally and in print. The issue revisits 'The Galacticos' - Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos - 10 years after chatting to them in our March 2003 edition, and asks them again about the majesty and madness of Madrid. The magazine also features a One-on-One with Lee Dixon, spends Easter with the homeless, Gateshead, and glances back to Lazio's 1974 Scudetto-winning team, the Italian Crazy Gang.Find out more about the new issue
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Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.
