Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho wanted to leave PSG to sign for Manchester United in 2003, which was brilliant at the time, given the way he had performed in the World Cup the year before. When you consider the following year he was named the best player in Europe and the World, it’s pretty gutting to remember how close we were.
“I admire Manchester United and I love watching them play,” Ronaldinho said in June 2003. “Of course I would like to be at a great club like that — anybody would. The idea of joining Manchester United makes me dream, because they are a big, successful club and play my kind of football. I have a burning desire to be involved with a club that plays in big games all the time.”
Peter Kenyon fucked up the Ronaldinho deal though, playing silly beggers and trying to penny-pinch, but the manager has revealed today that maybe it was for the best, given we signed Cristiano Ronaldo on the back of that disappointment.
“I thought we’d clinched the deal for Ronaldinho, but when I flew to Paris to speak with him, the goalposts seemed to have moved somehow,” said Ferguson. “His people complained that to me that it didn’t seem as though they were getting the same deal we’d previously agreed. The next thing I know, he was at Barcelona the following day. It was a big disappointment at the time, but we signed Cristiano Ronaldo that very same summer and perhaps we wouldn’t have ended up with Ronaldo had we got Ronaldinho. We probably would have kept tabs on Ronaldo, though, because we had a precontract agreement with Sporting. However, maybe we wouldn’t have accelerated the Ronaldo deal in the way we did.”
Man Utd News 24/7
Kenyan can lick my sweaty balls.
Seeing as we only paid £12 million for Ronaldo it stands to reason that we could have had them both. Then again, Ronaldo probably wouldn’t have developed into the player he became had Ronaldinho been at the club.
We would’ve got Ronaldo, no doubt it about it. Like SAF said, there was a pre contractual agreement. Rooney on the other hand, would not be a Man Utd player. Its shame we didnt get Dinho, he was amazing and maybe had he had SAF as his manager, he wouldnt have the problems he does now. To be fair to him though, he’s looking good in pre season.
p.s Kenyon is a fucking prick!
Hate this cunt
A close business assoiciate of Kenyons told me that Kenyon said we wont sell many shirts with that ugly bastard in the team.
I’m pretty sure that Ronaldinho shirts wouldve sold. He was the best player in the world.
During his time at Barca he was quality to watch.
Anyway plan B didn’t turn out too bad did it.
We missed out on ronaldinho but got ronaldo, wen 1 door shuts another 1 opens.
Look how well Kenyon has done for Chelsea. How’d he get the United job, anyway? Talk of bad signings, that one was a bad one. Anyway, I love Ronaldo. I love Rooney. I don’t care about Ronaldinho much. I was gutted, but like the Benzema deal it was on the cards. United don’t sign developed world class players. We try, but we never get them. Yet, we still win trophies. We don’t rely on billionaire’s cash either. Look at how chelsea have failed to sign any names this summer, inc the De Rossi bid which most United fans cried out for this summer only to see chelsea make the bid today. Developed players tend not to move very often Europe wide, they make one or two moves in their “developed player” phase of their career, nevermind to England.
Ps for those that have missed it, Rio just screwed up big time for the dutch’s first goal. Gutted for him. It’s a kick up his backside to keep him on his toes at the least and it’s not affected United.
Talking about Number 7′s, former, prospective etc, watching Beckham play, he seems to be doing good. anyone reckon that we might go back in for him once the MLS finishes if Hargo fails to return this season? Fergie is shrewd and did it with Henke and it would work on several points -
1 – marketing, he is on the up over in the US, everyone and their dog are touring the US and it might help consolidate the market.
2 – Our wide men could seriously learn from Becks’ crossing.
3 – It demonstrates a general misgiving re: Fergie which might help in the future; that when you leave United and Fergie, there is no going back. Ronaldo might like a reminder that this is not the case should his Real adventure fail.
4 – Beckham’s desire to get to the world cup reminds me of his desire to get into the United and Real teams. He would return if offered the chance and would rarely let us down for one season only.
I still remember being at the United-Barcelona friendly in Philadelphia summer of ’03, when everybody booed Ronaldinho every time he touched the ball.
This clinches it for me. God = a Red Devil!
I wouldn’t mind signing him in Jan. to help with the rest of the season. Nice loan option like with Larsson. Could provide some good service, goals, and rest for players at a congested part of the season. Wouldn’t cost us too much hopefully and would be nice to see him wearing our kit again. One of my favorite Man United legends!
Him = Beckham in my previous comment.
Kenyon is a huge cunt. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him joining Man $hitty…
I remember this well! I was so dissapointed also!
From what i could tell from reading various reports The United Board & PSG Board came to an agreement and shook hands!.
What angered the PSG Board was that the Faxed Proposal of the deal was differnt to what they shook on. The board tried to push that one bit too far. For me if you shake on it, it should happen!
Lesson Learnt for the board!!…..
On another note i can remember REading that Paul Gasgoine practicaly shook hands on a transfer to United then ended up going to Spurs the following day!…..And on another note Roy Keane practicaly shook hands to join Blackburn until fergie spoke to him!
I think the board were being ultra causious as they previously had paid big sums for Veron & Ferdinand. If they had held off they would have got ferdinand a hell of a lot cheaper!………. But to be honest, what we paid is good value for the length of time he has been at the club!
I dont know if Becks has anything to offer United if i am honest.
Yes he is good at set plays, Yes he can cross a ball.
Would he get many games?
Could be field another 35year old? or 34 what ever!!
Who knows, one things for sure .. i trust sir alex!
@javac
ummmm, bullshit!!
1. yes ok, marketing,
2. yes ok, he could teach a thing or two,
3. It demonstrates a general misgiving?? He didnt leave the way becks did.
UNITED>1 player, not PLAYER<united
4. UNITED<england.
**”he didnt leave the way ronnie did”
we all have different opinins about becks but still most of the manutd fans like him as one of our legends(yes he had some misunderstanding with our great SAF and he was in the situatio to choose between wife and the 2nd dad but he choose to go with wife) i wouldnt blame and SAF either. they both have great undertanding so y not. i like to see him on red devil shirt then retire and bcome a ambasador for the great club he and we support.
by the way ,Fergie even wanted to sign Quaresma ahead of Ronaldo.
bad for him that he refused and chose Barcelona
y cant we spend another 12 odd million and bring douglas costa. he is going to be a great player. fergi should sign him.
@ Ash,
One thing that worries me about costa is that from what i can tell is a bit of a party animal and has had quite alot of bad press in his home nation about it.
One thing i also dont understand is why the players from brazil come at such a high price. I may be missing something but their league is Technicaly better for sure but not to the same standard as the premiership.
I have always seen getting a player direct from Brazil / Argintena as a bit of a gamble as you dont know how they are going to adapt to the Premierships Pace and toughness. In comparison to the Italian & Spanish leagues they are better technicaly as the style of play gives players more time on the ball. Thats the one thing that players somethines struggle with In england.
Example of this would be veron who fergie bought to win in europe… He struggled in the premiership but was one of our best players on european nights.. He was like a differnt player playing in europe!
Yorick@
Fergie always wanted to signe Ronaldo but wanted him to spend another year at porto developing.
Same with Wayne Rooney, Fergie only signed him due to newcastle putting in a bid, Fergie openly admits it was a year early.
It was Forlan that year who suffered as he didnt get as many games as he would have done.
With regards to forlan i always thought it would be a matter of time before he would be an immence player. For me all he needed was 10 or 12 games on the trott and some goals!…
When he was at united his touch and ability to create space for a shot was fantastic, he was stopped from scoring time and time again by great saves from the keeper & in addition had 3 or 4 30 yard shots just miss by 1/2 a yard. I kept willing fergie to give him a run in the team & for him to get somg goals but it didnt happen!
Sporting Lisbon ya mean?
@Trevor
Friendly correction: Ronaldo was at Sporting before United, not Porto.
Also, Forlan was given every opportunity, and as much as everyone wanted him to succeed, he wasn’t cut out for English football.
i only wish we had kept forlan.he is scoring some screamers for At Madrid.We were impatient with him and the arrival of rooney and Saha was the end of him.
Good to see that he is doing well.
Ditto is the case wid rossi.
Our young signings have not exactly been that good apart from CR7.hope the current crop of youngsters can cement their place in the future.