Lazio and AC Milan legend Alessandro Nesta has revealed that joining the Rossoneri was never part of his plan. The former Italy defender recalled that his 2002 move from Lazio to Milan only materialised after Inter pulled out of a deal at the last moment, leaving him with little choice but to make the switch, a decision that would later define his career.
Nesta recalls Inter’s transfer backing out
Nesta opened up about the dramatic circumstances that led to his Milan transfer. The 49-year-old recalled that after rejecting Juventus, he was set to move to Inter, only for the Nerazzurri to withdraw their interest. With the transfer window closing, Inter's city rivals made a late move for him, and he eventually went ahead with the deal.
AdvertisementAFP'It went well for me' – Nesta on AC Milan switch
Having been "proud" of his decision to reject Roma for Lazio as a youngster, the iconic centre-back went on to reveal that he could have followed a completely different path when the Nerazzurri came in.
Speaking of the period leading up to his AC Milan move, he told : "A few months earlier, there was the possibility of joining Juventus, but I didn't want to go. Then Juventus fell through and I was supposed to go to Inter, but after May 5th, Inter disappeared; maybe they made other choices. Then, on the last day of the transfer window, Milan came along."
Nesta admitted he initially didn’t want to join the Rossoneri because he believed Inter would win the following season, but fate had other plans. In his first year with Milan, he won the Champions League.
"I didn't want to go because I was sure Inter would win the following year. And instead, I went to Milan and we won the Champions League in the first year. It went well for me."
Nesta was also on Real Madrid’s radar
The former Lazio captain also shared how Real Madrid once tried to lure him to Spain, adding: "The year before I joined Milan, Real Madrid called me after a friendly against them. A player told me I should come and play for them. I told him I played for Lazio, and he thought I was an idiot. The following year, however, I was forced to leave; we hadn't received a salary for eight months."
Getty Images SportFrom reluctant signing to Milan legend
Despite his initial hesitation, Nesta’s time at Milan turned out to be historic. In his debut season, the Rossoneri won the Champions League, defeating Juventus in the final, along with the Coppa Italia. Over the next decade, Nesta made more than 300 appearances for Milan, becoming one of Europe’s most respected defenders before leaving Serie A in 2012.
While his playing career was legendary, Nesta couldn’t replicate the same success as a manager. His stint at Monza in 2024 proved to be a difficult chapter, as the team managed just one win in their first 17 Serie A games before he was dismissed in December. He was rehired seven weeks later but still couldn’t turn things around, winning just one of the next 14 matches, and Monza were eventually relegated. The club appointed Paolo Bianco in June to lead the team for the new season.
