Arsenal Legend Reveals How Sir Alex Ferguson Was Just One Day Away from Joining the Gunners

Sir Alex Ferguson was on the brink of becoming Arsenal manager before ultimately taking charge of Manchester United in 1986, Gunners legend Charlie Nicholas has revealed. At the time, Nicholas was part of the Scotland squad managed by Ferguson.

Nicholas recalls that during the 1986 World Cup, Ferguson confided in him that Arsenal had already put a contract offer on the table. "Fergie asked me, 'Tell me about Arsenal.' I told him, 'It's a great club, it just needs a shake-up. We've never quite gelled with some of the top players. All the ingredients are there, but we're missing the heartbeat of the team,'" Nicholas reminisced.

According to the former striker, Ferguson was impressed by Arsenal's proposal and the prospect of having complete control over the dressing room. Just twenty-four hours later, however, the Scotsman told Nicholas he had decided to accept Manchester United's offer instead. "I was gutted. I thought, 'Man, this would have been unbelievable for Arsenal.' I understood why he chose Manchester United, but we were in a position where we could have achieved success a lot faster," Nicholas explained.

Ferguson would go on to spend 27 legendary years at the helm of Manchester United, cementing his status as the most successful manager in the club's history with 13 Premier League titles and 38 trophies in total. Arsenal went on to appoint Arsène Wenger a decade later, ushering in their own iconic era.