PSG winger Lucas Moura still 'very happy' after turning down Manchester United move

Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil winger Lucas Moura does not regret turning down a move to Manchester United, but admits it was a "difficult choice" to reject the Old Trafford club. Upon leaving Sao Paulo in 2012, the then 19-year-old was faced with offers from both United and PSG but opted for the French capital after talks with former sporting director and fellow countryman Leonardo.

Sir Alex Ferguson was keen on adding Moura to his squad but eventually saw the player slip through his fingers as the former Corinthians man moved to the Parc des Princes for £36.33m ($45m). During his spell in Ligue 1 the 23-year-old has won four league titles and the French Cup, while victory over Chelsea has seen them reach the Champions League quarter-final for a fourth successive season.

Such has been Moura's success he does not for one minute consider what life may have been like in English football with United. He will line up against Manchester City on Wednesday (6 April) delighted with the choice he made nearly four years ago.

"I was very close to joining Manchester United," he told The Daily Telegraph on the eve of the game. "It nearly happened but, at the last minute, Leonardo called me and spoke to me and my parents. It was a very difficult moment because suddenly I had to make a choice when I thought I was joining Manchester United.

"I thought about it a lot [the move to United or PSG]; I talked about it with my family and I made my choice. Football is like that. You have to choose a team. I am very happy with the choice that I made. I have lived an amazing experience in Paris with fabulous players and with a really great club and with supporters who... there are not words. I am just so happy here."

Having waltzed to the French title, progress in Europe's premier club competition is the acid test for this current crop of PSG players, who are set to lose talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the summer. Defeats twice to Barcelona and once to Chelsea have stifled their progression and Moura accepts the last-eight clash with City is full of pressure.

"It's the most important match of the season," he added. "Playing in the Champions League is the dream of every player in the world and so it's a big opportunity for us to go through to the semi-finals and I think this season we are much stronger than before.

"We have made it through to the quarter-finals three times previously so we must go further to show we are progressing. So far we have done everything to achieve that and I believe we can go on and achieve even more; achieve our dreams."