Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed how he held talks about leaving Manchester United for Inter Milan.

Although he spent a staggering 26 years at Old Trafford, the Scot has admitted his career could have taken a different path.

Ferguson - who also had job interviews with Barcelona and Wolves before he joined United - made the confession in his latest book Leading.

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he flirted with the idea of coaching Inter Milan

Ferguson has revealed Inter Milan's job proposal in his latest autobiography Leading, which is out on Tuesday

FERGUSON'S UNITED HONOURS Premier League (13): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13 FA Cup (5): 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04 League Cup (4): 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10 Champions League (2): 1998–99, 2007–08 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1): 1990–91 UEFA Super Cup (1): 1991 Intercontinental Cup (1): 1999 FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008 Advertisement

And despite never mentioning it in either of his 1999 and 2013 autobiographies, Ferguson has now claimed his reign could have been cut short by a move to Italy.

However, a combination of a glimpse at the Inter's transfer plans and his wife's preference for life in Britain curtailed the move.

Ferguson writes: 'Later in my career, I met with a representative of Massimo Moratti, the long-time owner of Inter Milan.

'That went out of the window the moment he showed me a list of the players they were going to buy and sell, which is just as well because I would never have persuaded Cathy to move to Italy.'

Ferguson also reveals that he has only done 'a few job interviews in my life'.

The first was at Scottish side Queen's Park in 1974, which he described as a 'disaster' because he was 'completely unprepared'.

Ferguson has said it would have been difficult to convince his wife Cathy (right) to swap England for Italy

The highly successful former Manchester United boss held talks with representatives of Massimo Moratti

Ferguson, who had been expecting to meet the chairman, admits he was 'nervous' when he walked into a room with a committee including men he had played with.

'I was shockingly bad', he recalls. 'I spent the whole interview trying to justify myself and my record, rather than just being myself.

Queen's Park eventually rejected him in favour of Dave McParland.