Joining Chelsea over Man Utd is my biggest regret – my wife didn't want to go to Manchester

Joining Chelsea over Man Utd is my biggest regret – my wife didn't want to go to ManchesterTurning down Manchester United for Chelsea due to his wife's desire to avoid living up north ended up being a significant regret for the legendary midfielderCommentsSportAbbie Meehan Senior Sports Writer06:30, 18 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesEmmanuel Petit regrets one transfer move in his career(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)Emmanuel Petit was poised to return to England and came close to signing for Manchester United, but ultimately chose Chelsea instead. The two sides go head-to-head on Saturday evening.‌United are looking to bounce back after suffering a 2-1 loss to Leeds earlier in the week, and Chelsea also coming off the back off a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. While Petit only represented one of the Premier League giants, he had long harboured a desire to play at Old Trafford - but opted for the Blues when the moment arrived.‌This choice turned out to be one of his greatest regrets after he decided to head back to London to keep his wife happy. Petit spent three seasons at Arsenal in the late 1990s, claiming both the Premier League title and FA Cup before departing for Barcelona in 2000.‌Following a difficult debut season in La Liga, the defensive midfielder was strongly linked with a return to England. Tottenham, Chelsea and United were all said to be keen — yet the most appealing prospect for Petit was a move to Old Trafford.FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook pageREAD MORE: Casemiro's leaked text message to agent about state of things at Man Utd speaks volumesREAD MORE: Man Utd facing huge crisis for pivotal Chelsea clash ahead of FA punishmentDespite this, the now-55-year-old revealed in his 2015 book - Franc-tireur (Maverick) - that he failed to follow a "sporting choice" when returning to England. Petit said: "I made a lifestyle choice to the detriment of the sporting choice.‌"...