Henrik Larsson makes claim about leaving Celtic for Manchester United

Even just the name, Henrik Larsson, is enough to bring a smile to the faces of Celtic fans. Supporters of all ages have either seen him play, admired his performances or listened in awe to tales about the man they call the King of Kings. If that all sounds a bit too sentimental, you probably do not support the Hoops.

An interview from Larsson, talking about the good old days, is the perfect antidote to a disappointing weekend. The 2-0 defeat against Hearts flattened the spirits and hopes buoyed by the Motherwell victory at Ibrox the day before. It was disappointing in so many ways, none the least the questionable VAR decisions which turned the game. 

While Celtic fans look to regroup, a bit of Larsson nostalgia is just what we need now. A recent interview touches on his background, his time with Sweden and Barcelona and of course in Glasgow. It’s warm, interesting and thoughtful.

Of course, the best parts of the interview for Celtic fans are about his years playing in Glasgow. The players alongside him, the matches against Rangers, the rivalry and signing for Barcelona after deciding to leave the Scottish giants.

Larsson makes claim about leaving Celtic for Manchester United

There are two specific points in Larsson's interview with The Guardian about Celtic which will enhance his reputation further with fans if that's even possible. While talking about the defeat to FC Porto in the 2003 UEFA Cup final, he said:

"I still haven’t gotten over that one.

“I wish I had done more, because I know how much it meant to the Celtic fans. There were more than 50,000 of them in Seville."

The second point comes as he reflects back back on a possible move to Manchester United early in his time at Celtic:

"I had an opportunity to go to Manchester United in the 1990s from Celtic. I would have earned more, maybe £10,000 or £15,000 a week more. But I had just come off three and a half years at Feyenoord where it had been up and down. I had just found my feet [at Celtic] and I wanted to go on with that. We’d played in the Uefa Cup, I played for Sweden, I didn’t feel I needed to go somewhere else. I didn’t become a superstar at Barcelona, I became a superstar at Celtic."

He was indeed a superstar, a legend and the King of Kings. If only we had players of his quality playing in the Hoops right now. We can dream, but it's a lot for anybody to live up to.