Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he wanted to sign Manuel Neuer as Edwin van der Sar’s successor in goal for Manchester United over David de Gea.
However, he was persuaded by United’s former goalkeeping coach Eric Steele to make a U-turn and sign the man who would eventually turn out to be one of the world’s best goalkeepers at the moment.
Steele had compiled a dossier of goalkeepers that could replace Van Der Sar, and then-Atletico Madrid youngster de Gea was high up on that list.
However, Sir Alex had pinpointed then-Schalke keeper Neuer as his number one target.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he recalled how Steele made him change his mind and sign De Gea:
Eric Steele had been scouting David de Gea for quite a while, but then Neuer came on the scene at Schalke. And I think Schalke would’ve been happy if we’d have gone and taken him.
So my problem was Eric, because he was adamant that we must take De Gea. I said ‘but Eric, the boy Neuer is the complete unit; he’s mature, his physique is unbelievable’, and he says ‘yeah, but in three years’ time, De Gea will be better’.
I said ‘that’s a statement’.
Eric and I went out to watch him (De Gea) against Valencia away, and the things he’d been speaking about – his agility, his confidence, his speed – were evident.
And Eric had been building a relationship with his parents, and was so adamant, that I had to trust him – and I’m glad I did, because he was right.
The rest is history. United would pay £20 million to take De Gea to Old Trafford in the summer of 2011 and despite a rough start in England, the 25-year-old has developed into one of the world’s best between the sticks and is a firm fan favourite at the Theatre of Dreams.
Meanwhile, Neuer joined Bayern Munich from Schalke that same summer and he has also matured into one of the most complete goalkeepers of all-time and perhaps revolutionised the art of the ‘sweeper keeper’.
Either way, Sir Alex would have gotten a world-class goalkeeper.
