Paul Gascoigne has revealed he once turned down the chance of a move to Manchester United.

Speaking in a frank interview with Sky News to be broadcast tonight, the former England legend describes the snub as one of his greatest regrets as a player.

Earlier this week, Sir Alex Ferguson admitted in an interview that "not getting Gazza" was the biggest disappointment of his managerial career.

Gascoigne, 41, said he was shown around United's training ground as a young player but he chose to join Tottenham instead - and when he contacted Ferguson from Italy about a deal several years later, the Scot did not seem interested.

"Maybe if I had stayed at Man U I might have been still there,"

"I don't know, you just look at these players and the squad of young kids that play, young Rooney that's there, the Neville Brothers and Becks, the way he (Ferguson) just brought them on and there are so many.

"I got invited to the academy and it is a magnificent place and you can see the way he treats his players, he treats them with respect but he also makes men out of boys.

"It took me six years to get back talking to Sir Alex, I called him from Lazio and asked him would he re-sign us.

"He was with Eric Cantona and he said he would see what Eric Cantona was going to do but I think everyone knows if you do something to Sir Alex Ferguson the way I did you don't get a second chance."

Gascoigne spoke with great admiration of the current United squad, picking out Cristiano Ronaldo as the player he views as "the new Gazza".

"Ronaldo is different, he's a different type of player and he delivers," he said.

"Last year he scored more goals and they said he was fabulous. This year they are talking about him and saying he is not doing as well, just because he's not hitting the back of the net.

"Now I think he is doing a lot better this year than he did last year, even though he doesn't score as many goals. I think Sir Alex has made him a complete player."

Gascoigne also revealed that he had recently been contacted by Argentina coach Diego Maradona and that he would love to return to management himself one day - at his first club, Newcastle.

"I got a call, they just said Maradona has invited us to stay with him," he said.

"This was a couple of months ago but I left it, I said I'd just leave it because he was taking on the job of Argentina coach and he would be busy anyway. But it's still on offer.

"In time I would love to manage Newcastle but you have got to take your badges, you have got to be strong. I am feeling really strong now."

- mirror.co.uk