Juan Sebastian Veron claims his time at Manchester United ‘devalued’ him as a player.
Veron joined United in 2001 from Italian side Lazio for just over £28million, making him the most expensive English transfer in history at the time.
With such a high fee came high expectations, but the midfielder’s career never really took off in the UK and he left the club after just two seasons.
A similarly poor spell at Chelsea followed, being loaned back to Italy with Inter Milan, before eventually returning to his home club Estudiantes in Argentina.
And the 41-year-old believes he was never really cut out for life in the Premier League, claiming his time at United ‘devalued’ him.
“My level in the Premier was never constant,” he told Spanish newspaper Marca.
“At Lazio it was the best football I did and at United I got devalued, my performances weren’t rising.”
And when asked if Sir Alex Ferguson was to blame, the former midfielder hinted relations were not good with the ‘not very open’ manager.
“No, it’s the opposite, my stay in England was odd for the context and the methods,” he added.
“It’s a league where you play a lot and train little, the rhythm is picked up in the league and not in the preseason.
“I came from a place where the physical preparation was very important and it did not favour me.
“I learned English and I got along with everyone, it isn’t that I was alone in a corner.
“I communicated as I could but it’s true that Sir Alex is not a very open guy.”
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