Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi has revealed he could've signed for Manchester United if not for work permit problems.<> Al Habsi was discovered by John Burridge, the much-travelled veteran English goalkeeper and coach who was working with Oman's senior squad.
"He took a picture of me at Old Trafford. He said, "It's to remind you, Ali. You will play here and you will be a star". When I played there for Bolton, I got man-of-the-match and John was there. It was brilliant.""John Burridge said he wasn't going to leave me until he'd put me in the Premier League. When I was 18 he brought me to England. I trained with Bolton and had a trial with Man United," he told the Daily Mail.
Burridge paid for the trip, such was his belief in Al-Habsi. Sir Alex Ferguson wanted the youngster, as did Kevin Keegan at Manchester City and Sam Allardyce at Bolton, but work-permit problems meant that he headed for a three-year stint with Lyn Oslo instead.