Man Utd hero’s problems with language barrier led to approaches from Arsenal and Chelsea

Former Manchester United star Paul Ince has revealed he almost cut his stint with Inter Milan extremely short due to the language barrier.

The retired midfielder had only been in Italy for a matter of months when it emerged Arsenal and Chelsea were keen on bringing the ex-Red Devil back to England. However, he ultimately stuck it out to last two seasons in Serie A before he finally returned to native shores.

Ince - who had a trophy-laden six-year spell at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson from 1989 to 1995 - clinched two Premier League titles and two FA Cups with United. However, he was sold by the revered Scottish manager amid reported issues surrounding his ego in the dressing room.

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Nicknamed the 'Guv'nor' and boasting more than 50 England caps, Ince eventually became a fan favourite among the Nerazzurri faithful. The midfield maestro made his return to English football in 1997, controversially signing for United's arch-rivals Liverpool.

However, Ince has revealed his early days in Italy were so challenging due to the language barrier that he considered returning to England within three months of his departure. And both Arsenal and Chelsea were ready to provide him with an escape route.

"The first three or four months were really tough for me in Italy," he told Ladbrokes 1-2-Free (via The Mirror). "It's always tough when you move abroad because the language is such a barrier.

"It's completely different nowadays; football clubs are so cosmopolitan, and pretty much everyone speaks English, and that