Alex Ferguson’s Top 5 Transfer Mistakes

The Scot is not as perfect as Manchester United fans think, in fact quite far from it when it comes to transfer dealings.

5. Selling Jaap Stam

Jaap Stam was getting older, but he was still one of the best defenders in Europe and the jewel in Manchester United’s crown. Though Ferguson thought his time at United was up in 2001, and was sold to Lazio. Resulting in his transfer, Lazio built on their new signing and were known as one of Europe’s top clubs for a few years, building an incredible partnership with Alessandro Nesta, while United’s defence struggled. Not a wise decision at all.

2. Spending Huge Money on Rio Ferdinand

In his day, the former England international was average at best, but the former Manchester United boss thought it would be justifiable to spend a mammoth fee on the then Leeds United centre-back. Juventus and AC Milan picked up Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta for a combined fee of less that what United spent on Ferdinand. What was Ferguson thinking?

3. Replacing Cristiano Ronaldo with Ashley Young

I for one am not a believer in calling Cristiano Ronaldo the best in the world, or even second best for that matter, but he is clearly a far superior player to Ashley Young, who can seemingly only compete with the Portugal international in a competition of who dives more. Around £20m was spent on the former Aston Villa man, and he will most likely be sold for a big loss in January.

2. Selling DIego Forlan too early

Diego Forlan had a hard start at Manchester United, but when he left and played under a creative manager at Villarreal, he became one of the best strikers in world football. United didn’t give him enough of a chance, while their almost negative tactics stopped him from flourishing. If they had given him more of a chance, he could have become an United legend.

1. Giving Paul Pogba up for nothing

Not exactly a transfer mistake as it was out of Alex Ferguson’s control, though if he had just given the Juventus midfielder a chance at Old Trafford he would probably still be there. The France international famously said that he decided to leave when Ferguson decided to play Fabio in central midfield when Scholes was injured over him. Yes, a young incapable wing-back at the heart of midfield, good one Ferguson.