Mark Fish confirms he turned down Manchester United transfer

In the latest episode of the documentary Class of 96: Rise of a Nation, South African defender Mark Fish has confirmed that he rejected an approach from Manchester United during the 1996 transfer window, opting instead for Italian giants Lazio. The revelation sheds new light on one of the Premier League era’s lesser-known sliding-door moments.

Fish, then 22, had supported United since childhood and was invited to meet former manager Sir Alex Ferguson after his representatives arranged parallel negotiations with both clubs. The centre-back watched United face Everton at Goodison Park as part of the courtship, yet contractual complexities ultimately steered him toward Rome.

The deal’s mechanics proved decisive. Co-owned by Orlando Pirates and Jomo Cosmos, Fish believed the £800,000 valuation would be split evenly among the two clubs, his personal terms and agent fees. That understanding unravelled when Cosmos owner Jomo Sono and Pirates official Irvin Khoza insisted Lazio pay the full £1.6 million. Lazio obliged, and within hours of meeting the Serie A club’s coach, Fish signed.

Rather than contest the financial reshuffle, Fish focused on establishing himself in Italy, leaving United to pursue other targets. He went on to enjoy a productive European career, while supporters are left to speculate how his pace and aerial presence might have augmented Ferguson’s back line during the late 1990s.

Fish becomes the latest high-profile defender to reveal a rejected United approach, following recent admissions from former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.