Former Leeds boss David O'Leary confirmed he was "one of the chosen ones" considered to replace Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager 25 years ago.
The 68-year-old enjoyed a memorable four-year spell in charge at Elland Road, including leading the West Yorkshire club to the Champions League semifinals.
O'Leary's work as Leeds manager impressed United boss Ferguson, who put him forward as a candidate to replace him, having announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2001-02.
Asked if the Old Trafford club approached him at that time and whether their had been conversations, O'Leary told The Overlap's Stick to Football: "Michael Kennedy [my solicitor] did, yeah, about it.
"Alex had recommended about three people or something like that. It never went any further than that. One of the chosen ones, yeah."
Ferguson did a U-turn and stayed at Old Trafford until 2013 and O'Leary was sacked in 2002 by Leeds, where he had worked as assistant to George Graham before stepping up as caretaker boss.
The former Republic of Ireland international was given the long-term role after that stint and Michael Carrick looks to have done similar at Manchester United, albeit having overseen a longer and more impressive run.
The Red Devils are set to speak to him about staying in charge beyond the end of the season and O'Leary has told the former midfielder to prepare for a major step up.
"On the Michael Carrick thing, one thing after taking the team [is] when then they said, 'This is your office and you're the manager of this football club,'" he said.
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"On Michael, I don't think they were ever going to give him the job because I think they had he's going to come in, do the job for us and we're going to go and get somebody, but now that situation's changed big time.
"But I'd say to Michael now that, for all he thinks he's the manager of Man United, when you get it officially and when you've got told that and then you've got to play midweek games and got to make all these other decisions, it's a bigger thing. And Man United, they don't come much bigger than that."