Alessandro Del Piero reveals the two Premier League clubs he rejected to stay at Juventus and spearhead their return to glory... as he insists he would have 'loved' to have played in England

Throughout his illustrious playing career, there wasn't much that Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero failed to achieve. 

The Juventus icon won six Serie A titles with the Italian giants, across his 705 appearances for the club, as well as playing in a Champions League final for the club. 

However, the World Cup winner, has revealed that the one dream he never fulfilled was to play in the Premier League - even though he came close to moving to England on two occasions. 

Talking ahead of Sunday's Soccer Aid, where the striker will be part of the Rest of the World squad that takes on England, De Piero was asked by talkSPORT if he ever had the chance to move to England during his playing days. 

'Yeah, it happened with Newcastle and Man United.' He said. 

'It didn't happen in the end because I was captain of Juve and happy at Juve and for me it was everything. I was a Juventus fan from the beginning when I was a young kid.

'I wasn't looking for more money or more things – they gave me good money in Turin and I became captain and stayed 19 years going through everything from paradise to hell and I'm happy about that.

'It's a unique story and a unique journey.

'Of course I would have loved to have had the chance to play here because I always enjoyed playing here, but it didn't happen.'

Del Piero was tracked by Manchester United in 2006 following Juve's demotion to Serie B following the the match fixing scandal. 

Sir Alex Ferguson had long been a fan of the Italian maverick, but despite the interest from Old Trafford Del Piero stayed in Turin to spearhead their top flight return. 

Looking back on the moment, the now 49-year-old says he still has no regrets that he chose to stay with Juventus. 

Adding: 'No regrets because everything that I chose in my career, I don't regret – including relegation with Juventus.

'That was a hard choice, but I'm still happy that I made it because I truly believe in one way and that is still my way.

'Every time that I came to play in England it was a great atmosphere.'

Del Piero made his debut for Juve in 1993 and would go on to score 290 times during his near two decades with the club. 

After leaving Italy in 2012, he enjoyed brief spells in Australia with Sydney FC and India before retiring in 2014.

For Italy he won 91 caps, and is the country's fourth highest goal-scorer, having notched 27 goals for his country.