Players Utd were regularly linked with but never signed XI

We were linked heavily for weeks in 2002, I think, with Lilian Thuram. And then he signed for Juventus.
 
Maybe I'm just imagining it but I seem to remember Riquelme always being linked to us years ago.
 
3 that were linked constantly but I believe it was down to wages:

Boban
Desailly
Batistuta
 
For about 2 years we were constantly linked with a midfielder named Aldo Duscher so much so that I remember signing him on FIFA. No idea what became of him.
 
I seem to recall Roy Makaay being constantly linked to us and also Noureddine Naybet (who eventually turned up at Spurs in his older days)
 
Given​

Des Walker---Ramos---Celio Silva

Gattuso
Barry Ferguson------Geoff Thomas

Anderton --------------------------------Collymore

Shearer-----Batistuta
Attempted to go back to the days when rumours seemed to have some element of truth to them. Ronaldo, gaitan, Sjneider, Vidal, Tiago, Fabregas all omitted.

Honourable mentions to: Ronaldinho, Gascoigne, Kluivert.
 
Last edited:
We were constantly linked with Danielle De Rossi for at least three years after he scored that beauty in the 7-1 game. Not quite in the Gaitan zone but then who apart from Sneijder ever reached those hallowed levels.

De Rossi is a great shout, can also recall Cambiasso being frequently linked to us if memory serves me right. What a signing that would have been.
 
Given​

Des Walker---Ramos---Celio Silva

Gattuso
Barry Ferguson------Geoff Thomas

Anderton --------------------------------Collymore

Shearer-----Batistuta
Attempted to go back to the days when rumours seemed to have some element of truth to them. Ronaldo, gaitan, Sjneider, Vidal, Tiago, Fabregas all omitted.

Honourable mentions to: Ronaldinho, Gascoigne, Kluivert.
We actually did sign silva didnt we but the work permit failed. Pretty sure he played a pre season game for us too
 
We actually did sign silva didnt we but the work permit failed. Pretty sure he played a pre season game for us too

100% we agreed the fee, I think he had a medical but I don't believe he played for us.

Contracts were never signed due to the work permit is how I remember it.
 
Miguel Veloso was linked a good bit in his Sporting Lisbon days, especially as the club seemed to have first dibs on Sporting players at the time after the signings of Ronaldo and Nani. Ironically Ricardo Queresma was the Sporting player being constantly linked to United in the spring and summer of 2003, yet he ended up going to Barcelona and Ronaldo signed for United.
 
100% we agreed the fee, I think he had a medical but I don't believe he played for us.

Contracts were never signed due to the work permit is how I remember it.

Im pretty sure he played in an away friendly vs inter milan that went to penalties i think he came on trial first.
 
Ronaldinho-smile.jpg
 
Buffon, Maldini, Varane, Ramos, Coleman, Gascoigne, Vidal, Bale, Boban, Ronadhino, Batistuta
 
I must be old in here or somethign as cant believe nobody else has mentioned Gascogine who was as good as signed, best English player in my lifetime or Maldini who has even said we tried to sign him, best left back by a mile in my lifetime. Boban was a good shout by someone, what a quality player he was that hardly gets spoken about.