Sir Alex Ferguson signed some wonderful players during his 27 years in charge of Manchester United – but he missed out on a fair few, too.
Ferguson didn’t get too many things wrong at Old Trafford. But as well as several inspired decisions among around 100 signings, there were also a few duds.
However, as much as Fergie may regret some of the players he signed over the years, he surely regrets some of those he didn’t sign just as much.
Zinedine Zidane
No United fan would criticise Ferguson for putting Eric Cantona above any potential new recruit, but the prospect of Zidane at Old Trafford is too tantalising not to regret.
Martin Edwards, in his book, lifted the lid on Ferguson’s thinking when it was put to him that United should be signing the Frenchman from Bordeaux in 1996: “Alex said that Eric had also mentioned Zidane to him, but Alex felt Zidane played in the same position as Eric.
“Having gone over to France to persuade Eric to re-sign for us, after the Crystal Palace incident, he felt that, if he had brought Zidane in, it may have affected Eric’s position, so he stuck with Eric.”
As it turned out, Cantona retired just one season after Zidane left Bordeaux for Juventus.
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John Barnes
Liverpool don’t have much to thank Ferguson for, but passing up the chance to sign John Barnes from Watford in 1987 is certainly one reason to be grateful.
Edwards explains in his autobiography, Red Glory: ”Graham Taylor rang Alex Ferguson to see if he wanted to take him before he signed for Liverpool.
“Alex passed on him because it was his first season at United, he had Jesper Olsen in his squad and he wanted to see whether Jesper would make it.”
Olsen showed glimpses, but the Denmark winger had nothing even remotely like the impact Barnes made on Liverpool.
David Silva
Even the staunchest City-hating United fan will admit – privately, at least – that it is impossible to find any reason not to love David Silva.
But Ferguson managed it.
Before the Spanish genius joined Manchester City in 2010 for £24million, United had their eye on him.
“We watched Silva a lot when he was at Valencia,” said Ferguson. “My problem with that was you have to be very, very good to play in that position, because there’s no defensive duties for them.
“So if you’re wanting to be really successful, everyone has to do their turn, has to work, you know?”
Roberto Mancini,…
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