‘When Jaap Stam strolled out of the players' exit at Old Trafford after helping Manchester United overcome Fulham on the opening day of the 2001-02 Premiership season, he never imagined it would take him three years to return. He had expected to be back for the next home game, but just six days later he was called in to Sir Alex Ferguson's office and told the club had agreed to sell him to Lazio for £15.25m.
‘At the time it seemed a strange move. With Stam at the heart of their defence United had won the treble in 1999 and finished as Premiership champions in each of his three seasons since he had arrived from PSV Eindhoven. He was twice voted Europe's best defender by Uefa, and Ferguson had selected him in the club's greatest team of all time.
‘It was initially thought Stam had been sold as punishment for his candid autobiography, Head to Head, which included the allegation that Ferguson had tapped him up while still at PSV. But the United manager countered that it was "absolutely a footballing decision" and he believed Stam had not been the same player since returning from an achilles injury.
‘Stam insists he has long got over it and will return with Milan for the first leg of their Champions League tie against United tomorrow night without any resentment. "I'm really not bitter at all," he says. "Yes, I didn't want to move and I wasn't happy with how it happened so quickly. One day I was a United player and the next I was being unveiled as a Lazio player.
‘"But I had a choice and I could have stayed and fought for my place, but it seemed wise to move on. These things happen in football, and I was never naive enough to believe it couldn't happen to me too. There is no point making a big deal about it. I moved on from United a long time ago.
‘"I would certainly shake Sir Alex's hand, why not? If I bump into him in the tunnel I would be happy to do that. He is a great man and I still have a lot of respect for him. I don't want to tarnish what I had at United, because they were such wonderful times. I am genuinely looking forward to the game and playing at Old Trafford again."
‘While Stam admits he is wary of United's new kids on the block - Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney - he believes it is the club's old guard who pose the biggest threat. "Just as when I played there it is Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs who make everything happen. They are still among the best players in the world and most things go through them. We know we will have to stop them distributing the ball from midfield.
‘"I really don't think United have an obvious weakness. They are strong throughout the side; they have four great strikers, a midfield full of experience and creativity and a defence that isn't letting in many goals now. They seem to still play in the same style as when I was there, which is very attacking and I don't expect them to sit back."’