Louis Saha has opened up about his difficult decision to leave Manchester United, revealing that injuries forced him to request an exit from the club he loved.
The French striker, who began his career at Metz before moving to England with Newcastle and later Fulham, quickly made an impact in the Premier League.
His prolific form at Fulham, including a 32-goal season, attracted United’s interest, and in January 2004, he pushed for a move to Old Trafford despite Fulham’s initial reluctance.
Sir. Alex Ferguson (photo credit: Getty)
Saha recalled how Sir Alex Ferguson’s personal call convinced him to join United, even though the squad already featured Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Diego Forlan.
He started strongly, scoring seven goals in 12 league games in his first half-season. However, injuries soon took their toll.
The 2004/05 season marked the beginning of Saha’s struggles with fitness. Despite showing glimpses of brilliance—most notably in 2006/07 when he became Ferguson’s first-choice strike partner for Wayne Rooney—recurring injuries repeatedly stalled his momentum. His absence from United’s 2008 Champions League final triumph was particularly painful, leading him to a heartbreaking realization.
Louis Saha (Photo Credit: Getty)
“I couldn’t give the club the guarantees they needed from a No. 9,” Saha admitted. “I wanted to stay for life, but the club was growing, and I knew I couldn’t play the required 15-20 games per season.” Ultimately, he requested to leave, joining Everton in 2008.
After four years on Merseyside, Saha had brief stints at Tottenham, Sunderland, and Lazio before retiring in 2013. He finished his career with 159 goals in 492 appearances, including 42 in 124 matches for United.
