Manchester United made a Christmas approach for Paolo di Canio during his playing days only for the Italian to reject the offer because of the loyalty he felt towards West Ham.
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Di Canio established himself as one of the finest players in the Premier League during his halcyon days with the Hammers but resisted the temptation to leave Upton Park for a club of more prominent standing.
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The former Sunderland manager claims Manchester United to be among those teams he rejected while with West Ham, with Sir Alex Ferguson making a direct phonecall to Di Canio in the hope of convincing him to move to Old Trafford.
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Di Canio admits he initially believed the call from the Manchester United manager to be a practical joke but, once he realised it was genuine, still declined to offer to join the Red Devils.
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"It was Christmas and I got a call on my phone, and it was Ferguson," Di Canio told Fox Sport in Italy.
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"You could tell from his voice that he had been drinking and he asked me if I wanted to join Manchester United.
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"To begin with, I thought it was a joke from a friend and I told him where to go three times before I realised it really was him.
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"I then said no. I was captain of West Ham and I couldn't accept."
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Di Canio spent four-and-half seasons with West Ham, scoring 52 times in 141 games, before eventually leaving the club following their relegation from the top-flight in 2003.
This players in the football scene always deal with Loyalty when they want to make choices like this. This the Canio's case too