Wayne Rooney offered to make a return to Everton for Tony Hibbert's testimonial, according to the defender.
Rooney, who left his boyhood club for Old Trafford in 2004, is unable to play in Wednesday's match against AEK Athens at Goodison Park due to commitments with United.
"It was great that he asked me but it just worked out that Manchester United also have a game and he was quite upset when he realised," said Hibbert.
"It says everything about Wayne that he was willing to do that. He probably would have got a bad reception but he is not fazed about that. He loves Everton. Deep down he is still an Evertonian."
United take on Barcelona in Gothenberg on Wednesday.
