Manchester United are always linked to a plethora of players in every transfer window, but who were the targets that were massively linked to them but somehow got away?.....READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Erik ten Hag will no doubt be a busy man this summer, with the Red Devils already being linked to a mass amount of players with the window still in its early days. Jurrien Timber, Frankie de Jong and Darwin Nunez have been the main three names floating around – but none of them have been confirmed as of yet.
With United being one of the biggest clubs in the world with one of the largest fanbases, rumours are always going to circulate regarding many players that are available, but there are a certain few that stick out in United fans’ minds as being more heavily reported than others.
So, with this – let’s take a look at some of Manchester United’s transfer targets that simply got away.
Wesley Sneijder
The sheer number of images with the Dutchman in a red shirt plastered over the internet is utterly incredible.
Back in 2010, Wesley Sneijder had just won a Champions League with Inter Milan and had propelled his country to a World Cup final. So naturally, he was going to be linked with a move somewhere.
United seemed the heavy favourites to secure the silky playmaker’s signature, but despite the mass amount of media coverage – the move never occurred.
It was thought that the figure Inter wanted was too expensive for United’s liking, which ultimately meant they pulled out and looked elsewhere.
But that didn’t stop the rumour resurfacing every year since then, only really stopping when the midfielder made a switch to Galatasaray in his later years, all but destroying any chance that he would ever play at The Theatre of Dreams.
Karim Benzema
One that United fans will be bitterly disappointed about for some time is the fact they didn’t acquire Karim Benzema’s signature.
The French forward has just flourished in probably his finest season ever for Real Madrid, but in a parallel universe, Benzema may have been bringing the Champions League trophy home to Manchester.
Benzema was one of football’s hottest prospects when he burst onto the scene at Lyon, and after impressing during a Champions League knockout tie against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in 2008, the consensus was that the young striker would make the move the following summer to Old Trafford.
This wasn’t the case and Benzema stayed at Lyon for another season before ultimately choosing to join Real Madrid, where he’s resided ever since and has cemented legendary status. Who knows where United would be now if they’d captured their man.
Gareth Bale
This rumour certainly gave a lot of United fans sleepless nights.
Gareth Bale was a revelation in the league for Tottenham Hotspur when he burst onto the scene in 2009. He was by far and away the Premier League’s greatest rising talent and looked an ideal fit for a Sir Alex Ferguson side.
For around three seasons, Bale rumours surfaced each summer – until eventually the rumour looked to be dead and buried after a world record fee saw the Welshman move to Madrid in 2013. However, Bale was always unsettled in Spain, meaning the saga continued and is still going to this very day, with a few small whispers indicating he could very well still make the move this summer.
Nicolas Gaitan
We all remember Nicolas Gaitan linking up on the left with Patrice Evra, don’t we? No, we don’t. But it may as well have happened. Gaitan was a constant link to United from 2011 onwards.
The man from Benfica looked certain to be a United player at one point in his career, with countless sources stating that a deal was almost done across the timeline of many years.
He eventually moved to Atletico Madrid in 2016, ending the five-year speculation and giving writers some well deserved time off publishing stories about the saga.
Fans won’t be too disappointed that this one never really came off, given that Gaitan never really lived up to his potential – but it feels fitting to include him for the sheer amount of coverage this one received.
Toni Kroos
Yet another player who chose to join Los Blancos instead of the red of Manchester. Back in 2014, Toni Kroos came mightily close to joining Manchester United.
Apparently, Kroos had a verbal agreement with United, but this fell through when the manager at the time, David Moyes, was sacked and instead he opted for Madrid.
This turned out to be a wise decision for the German playmaker. He’s been an ever-present metronome in the heart of Madrid’s midfield and has won just about everything he can since joining. Tough luck, United.
Alan Shearer
Not many players snub Manchester United, but Alan Shearer was one of them.
Shearer first rejected Sir Alex Ferguson in 1992 when he signed for Blackburn Rovers, and then once again four years later when he opted for his boyhood club – Newcastle United.
The second snub was the harshest for United, as Shearer had expressed interest to join and even held talks with the Red Devils, but all that was tarnished when his agent rang Ferguson and told him he was off to Tyneside.
