Man Utd insider reveals why Sir Alex Ferguson rejected Thierry Henry deal

Sir Alex Ferguson turned down the chance to sign Thierry Henry because he had doubts over his fitness, according to Manchester United’s former security chief.

Arsene Wenger signed Henry from Juventus in 1999 for £11 million and the French striker went on to become one of the greatest players in Premier League history.

Henry remains Arsenal’s all-time top scorer with 228 goals during his eight-year spell with the club.

The World Cup winner also played a pivotal role in helping Arsenal win two Premier League titles and two FA Cup trophies.

But according to Ned Kelly, Manchester United’s former head of security, Ferguson had the opporunity to bring Henry to United before he headed to Arsenal.

Kelly, who also acted as a bodyguard for Ferguson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham during his time at Old Trafford, claims Cantona’s brother, Jean-Marie, was the one who alerted United to the fact that Henry was willing to make the move to Manchester.

‘In the tunnel after the game my phone goes, Eric’s older brother Jean-Marie [Cantona] says, ‘Ned, tell Alex [Ferguson] that Thierry Henry wants to come to the club’,’ Kelly said in an interview with beIN Sports.

‘Now this was before he [Henry] went to Arsenal, his first choice was Manchester United.

‘So I go to the boss and say, ‘boss, I’ve just had Jean-Marie Cantona on the phone, he had said Henry wants to come to the club’.

‘He [Ferguson] says, ‘no way, he’s always f****** injured’. He went to Arsenal, the rest is history.’

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