Victor Valdes has revealed that he was "close to retiring" from football due to his serious knee injury, but he decided to keep playing as he has three children to support.
The 33-year-old sustained the injury, which kept him out of action for 10 months, while playing for former club Barcelona.
Valdes left Barca at the end of last season when his contract expired and, after United manager Louis van Gaal offered him the chance to complete his rehabilitation with the Premier League side, the Spain international signed an 18-month deal at Old Trafford in January.
"I was close to retiring but I have three children," Valdes told Spanish newspaper El Pais.
"I knew I was going to hurt my knee. Everything was going too well for me and I knew I was going to hurt it. I knew from the beginning it was broken. When I tried to support the leg I heard a crunch in the knee and I knew it was broken."
Van Gaal gave Valdes his Barcelona debut back in 2002.
Steven Toplis
