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Evra: Offer from Juventus was perfect

Patrice Evra has returned to the country where his career began, saying Juventus made him an offer he could not refuse after deciding to leave Manchester United for personal reasons.

Evra has brought an end to an eight-and-a-half year spell at United to join the Italian club for £1.2m, despite having signed a new one-year deal at Old Trafford at the end of the season.

With United bringing in £27 million left-back Luke Shaw from Southampton this summer, Evra was likely to see his first-team chances restricted under Louis van Gaal and said Juventus provided the "perfect" option for him.

"I had to leave Manchester United for personal reasons and, three months before the end of the season, I told my agent to listen to offers," said Evra at his official unveiling in Turin on Thursday before he joined his new team-mates for pre-season training.

"The offer from Juventus was perfect because all they think about is winning and that reflects my culture.

"I always want to win at all costs. I want to show Serie A the player I have been for Manchester United, where I won everything."

"La Juventus è la scelta giusta". Parola di #Evra: http://t.co/DFgfJtj8RF #BienvenuePatrice pic.twitter.com/owuW9mppyZ— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) July 31, 2014

Evra's haul from his time at United is indeed impressive - five Premier League titles, a Champions League, three League Cups and a Club World Cup.

Such was his emotional attachment to United, he thanked the club's fans and his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who signed him from Monaco for £5.5m in January 2006, in an emotional farewell statement.

Now he has returned to the country where he took his first steps in football 16 years ago, saying he will never forget where he came from.

"I have a lot to thank Italy for," said Evra, 33. "It's the country which opened me the door to professional football.

"I was only a 17-year-old lad when I played for Marsala while I didn't play much at Monza, but that is where I met my agents, who are like brothers to me. I never forget my first emotions in football, in Sicily."

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