It’s been many years since the last time, so when the news comes that Manchester United will use Sir Alex Ferguson, who is still considered the best football manager of all time, it’s great. – And that’s it, the bosses at Old Trafford will use their legendary manager to sign a signing midfield star who can transform the team
Ferguson won an incredible 38 trophies in an unprecedented 26-year career at Manchester United before retiring in 2013.
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Manchester United have spent the last 13 years trying to get back to the high standards set by the Scotsman in his heyday. The club are currently two points away from qualifying for next season’s Champions League – a tournament they have not played in since 2023.
A major troop revolution is planned for the summer, and the midfield is a position that needs significant investment. Casemiro will disappear when his contract expires, and Manuel Ugarte is also expected to leave after disappointing since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Little Jewel on the Wish List
Among the players on the wish list is Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old is already a fixture in the first team of the Ligue 1 club, with 39 appearances in all competitions this season.
United face stiff competition from Arsenal and Bayern Munich for his signature, but they are ready to pull the heavy guns. According to the Manchester Evening News, they want to use Ferguson to “win him over”.
Bouaddi’s performances have captured everyone’s attention across the continent – much in the same way as Leny Yoro did in 2024. United beat Real Madrid in the battle for Yoro’s signature, believing that he was a player to build around for the future.
Other names on United’s midfield list include Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Sandro Tonali.
Ferguson has been used before – with varying degrees of success
Using Ferguson to convince players is a tactic United have tried before, albeit with limited success.
In 2020, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer asked his former manager to help lure Jude Bellingham to the Red Devils during a visit to the club’s training facility at Carrington. Bellingham, who would then choose his next club after a breakthrough at Birmingham City, was given a tour of Carrington with his family.
Although Ferguson intended to speak to Bellingham, the club’s sporting director at the time, John Murtough, only allowed him to exchange courtesy phrases with the future England star before rushing him on to other tasks.
According to reports, this is said to have infuriated Ferguson, as he knew he could have played a bigger role in convincing Bellingham. The player eventually turned down United and left for Borussia Dortmund later that year.
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