Back in 2003, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes noticed how excited Sir Alex Ferguson got about a transfer, only for it to fall through before anything was finalised.
During his 26 years in charge of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson had an incredible eye for picking the right players.
Two of his earliest signings were Peter Schmeichel from Brøndby for £505,000 in 1991 and Denis Irwin from Oldham the year before for £625,000.
Ferguson had a clear vision of how he wanted his United teams to look. His most successful squads were always built around a blend of smart signings and talent developed through the club’s academy system.
Some of his more famous signings included Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney. Yet even with that track record, there were still plenty who slipped through the cracks.
Many players turned down chances to join Manchester United over the years. But what stood out about this case was how enthusiastic Ferguson became before things fell apart later on during negotiations. Usually very cautious until deals were complete and rarely showing emotion beforehand – this one seemed different according to those who witnessed it firsthand at Carrington at that time.
Sir Alex Ferguson got excited over Ronaldinho transfer in 2003
Sir Alex Ferguson famously kept his excitement in check when it came to transfers, rarely showing too much emotion until a deal was actually done. But there was one player in 2003 who broke that rule: Ronaldinho.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Butt said:
Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have been looking back on a time in 2003 when Sir Alex Ferguson was genuinely excited about a transfer, something they say didn’t happen often.
Ronaldinho had everyone talking when he decided to leave Paris Saint-Germain that summer.
United didn’t manage to land Ronaldinho, but not long after, they signed a young Cristiano Ronaldo. That move turned out pretty well for both parties.
Both players ended up having hugely successful careers. And while United fans might still wonder what could have been with Ronaldinho at Old Trafford, Ronaldo’s achievements more than made up for the near miss.
The Brazilian went on to win everything with Barcelona, while Ronaldo built his legacy at United. But it was the build-up to the potential signing of Ronaldinho that stands out for Scholes and Butt because of how animated Ferguson became.
Butt added: “He was excited. I’d never seen him like that before.”
The way they describe it makes you think just how different things could have looked if the deal had gone through. It’s one of those moments in football history where even the stories behind what didn’t happen are worth remembering.
Ronaldinho stuck to Barcelona promise that blocked Manchester United transfer
Speaking to FourFourTwo in 2015, Ronaldinho explained just how close he came to signing for United.
It was a commitment he had made to the incoming Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, that ultimately kept him from heading to Old Trafford.
“It almost happened with United,” Ronaldinho said.
“It was a matter of 48 hours, but Sandro Rosell had told me way before I got the offer: ‘If I become Barça president, will you come?’
“I said yes. It was only a matter of details with United when Rosell called to say he was going to win the election there. And I had promised to him that I’d play for Barça.”
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