Transfer Dodges: Eight Transfers Manchester City Successfully Avoided, Thanks to Man Utd

In an alternate reality, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish find themselves gearing up for the highly anticipated derby against Manchester City. Haaland, who followed his former coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from Molde, joined Manchester United, while Grealish made the switch from Aston Villa to the Red Devils in 2020.

On the other side, City's defensive duo of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, donning light blue tracksuits, engage in discussions about their strategy to contain Haaland and Grealish. They mentally prepare themselves for the barrage of criticism they will inevitably face from the passionate Stretford End.

Maguire became a City player in 2019, alongside Brazilian winger Antony, while Lindelof had arrived at the Etihad Stadium two years earlier. Raphael Varane, who has recently recuperated from a minor injury, finds himself on the substitutes' bench for City, alongside the experienced Alexis Sanchez.

Paul Pogba, in an alternate scenario, controversially made a switch from the red half of Manchester to the blue half in 2022 as a free agent. Alongside him in midfield would be Bruno Fernandes, who opted for City over United in 2019.

However, let's return to reality, even though it's intriguing to consider what could have been. Due to divergent opinions among sporting directors, chairmen, and agents, several players involved in Sunday's Manchester Derby at Old Trafford could have found themselves on the opposite side of the rivalry.

With City still competing for another remarkable treble while United's chances of securing a top-four finish diminish, many of these players may have regretted their choice of destination. City fans, on the other hand, will be grateful for having avoided some of the players who ultimately struggled at Old Trafford.

Leading up to Sunday's Manchester derby, Betimate examines the players who were on the brink of joining City but ended up at United instead, leading to less successful stints at the club.

Alexis Sanchez

In January 2018, Alexis Sanchez faced a pivotal decision as his contract with Arsenal neared its end. He had two enticing options: reuniting with his former Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, at Manchester City, or joining Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, who was aiming to restore the club to its former glory.

Sanchez had a close relationship with Guardiola, whom he referred to as "like my dad," and was tempted by the prospect of playing under him again. However, Mourinho, unwilling to let City strengthen further, made a compelling appeal to Sanchez, offering him the iconic number seven shirt and the chance to become a part of Manchester United's storied history.

Despite his initial desire to join City, the idea of being a Chilean player at United, following in the footsteps of legends like Eric Cantona, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo, captivated Sanchez. He saw it as a dream opportunity and made the decision to sign for Manchester United.

However, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare for Sanchez and everyone involved. He admitted that after his first training session with United, he wanted to tear up his contract and return to Arsenal. Struggling to recapture his form from his Arsenal days, Sanchez became a target for criticism as United endured a difficult start to the following season.

After a disappointing 18 months at Old Trafford, Sanchez made a move to Inter Milan. His time at United was marked by a lack of confidence and a decline in performance, scoring just five goals in 45 appearances. He was a mere shadow of the player he once was, devoid of the verve and brilliance that had made him a top performer for Arsenal.

Harry Maguire

Following his impressive performances in the 2018 World Cup, Harry Maguire garnered a reputation as one of the top center-backs in Europe. Both Manchester City and Manchester United competed for his signature in the summer that followed. Pep Guardiola was an admirer of Maguire and City were ready to match United's £70m ($85m) bid. However, when Leicester realized the rivalry between the two clubs, they increased their asking price to £80m ($97m), causing City to withdraw their interest.

Guardiola later admitted that they were interested in Maguire but couldn't afford him, while United could. Maguire enjoyed a stellar debut at Old Trafford, contributing to a 4-0 victory over Chelsea. However, his performances took a downturn as United struggled under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Maguire faced criticism for the team's poor results, including a humiliating 5-0 loss to Liverpool at home.

Under manager Erik ten Hag at Ajax, Maguire's playing time dwindled, with just eight league starts last season. There were even talks of him being sold to West Ham for a significantly reduced fee of £30m ($36m), but Maguire refused to leave.

Despite facing relentless criticism, Maguire has managed to silence his critics with his recent performances. However, he has been plagued by injury problems and is expected to miss the upcoming Manchester derby. Meanwhile, City secured the signing of Ruben Dias in 2020 for £64m ($77m), and they are unlikely to have any regrets about not completing the deal for Maguire.

Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba's second tenure at Manchester United was a protracted and tumultuous saga that concluded when his lucrative six-year contract expired in June 2022.

Despite struggling with injuries and failing to consistently shine under the management of Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Ralf Rangnick, City expressed interest in acquiring Pogba as a free agent. This wasn't the first time Pogba had been linked with City, as Pep Guardiola revealed that he was offered the opportunity to sign the Frenchman in 2018 during his feud with Mourinho. However, Pogba, mindful of the potential backlash from United fans, made the decision to return to Juventus instead. Unfortunately, his second stint in Turin has been plagued by numerous difficulties. He has suffered serious injuries, faced blackmail attempts, and even failed a drugs test for elevated levels of testosterone. From City's perspective, it seems they managed to avoid a potentially problematic situation by not signing Pogba.

Cristiano Ronaldo

After his bitter departure from Juventus in the summer of 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo was considering his next move, and Manchester City emerged as one of the few clubs capable of affording his wages. The news of Ronaldo potentially joining City caused panic among key figures at Manchester United, particularly Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ronaldo himself confirmed that a move to City was close, with discussions taking place and Pep Guardiola expressing a strong desire to sign him. However, it was Sir Alex Ferguson who played a crucial role in swaying Ronaldo's decision. The legendary United manager told Ronaldo that it would be impossible for him to join Manchester City, and Ronaldo respected his wishes.

Upon his return to Manchester United, Ronaldo made an explosive start, scoring two goals on his debut against Newcastle and rescuing victories in subsequent matches. However, it became evident that United's style of play suffered as a result, with Ronaldo's presence slowing down their tempo and necessitating a change in their playing style. Despite ending the season as the team's top scorer, United recorded their worst points total in 30 years in the Premier League, and Ronaldo's ability to pull off miraculous comebacks gradually diminished.

Ronaldo's individualistic attitude also had a negative impact on the team. In his second campaign, he left a friendly match against Rayo Vallecano at halftime and refused to come on as a substitute in the closing moments of a game against Tottenham, resulting in a brief suspension. His unauthorized interview with Piers Morgan further embarrassed United. Ultimately, the situation reached a point where his contract was torn up, leading to his departure from the club.

Meanwhile, Manchester City continued to thrive without a traditional striker and went on to win another title. They then secured the services of Erling Haaland, who propelled them to a treble-winning season. City can consider themselves fortunate to have avoided the potential complications that could have arisen from signing Ronaldo.

Fred

During his five-year tenure at Manchester United, Fred often found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. He became a figure of comedy, attracting laughter rather than criticism due to his unconventional running style and perceived lack of ability.

The humor was amplified for rival fans considering Fred's hefty price tag of £50m ($60m) when he joined United in 2018. However, it's worth noting that City also had an interest in signing the midfielder during that time.

Fred's agent, Fabio Mello, revealed that he had arranged a deal for the Brazilian to join City in January 2018. However, Shakhtar Donetsk, his then-club, blocked the move as they had progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League and considered Fred crucial to their hopes of further success in the competition.

Mello explained that he and Shakhtar deliberately delayed the deal with City until the summer transfer window. It was during this time that United expressed interest in Fred and ultimately completed his transfer. In the summer, Fred joined Fenerbahce for £8m, resulting in a loss of over £40m for United without many positive memories to compensate for the financial setback.

Antony

Antony, the Brazilian winger, has been widely regarded as one of Manchester United's biggest transfer mistakes during the Ten Hag era. United paid a staggering £86m ($108m) for his services, making him the club's second-most expensive signing after Paul Pogba. However, Antony did not possess the same reputation or marketing value as Pogba, and it has become evident that United vastly overpaid for him.

Antony's playing style is limited, with his primary skill being cutting in from the right wing and delivering powerful shots into the far top corner with his left foot. However, even his ability to execute this trick has declined, and he has endured a woeful second season, failing to register any goals or assists in the league.

In addition to his on-field struggles, Antony caused significant reputational damage to the club after being accused of assault by three women in September. As a result, he was separated from the squad for three weeks. Interestingly, Antony could have potentially become a problem for Manchester City rather than United.

According to The Telegraph, City showed interest in Antony in 2019 when he had just broken into the Sao Paulo first team. He was offered the opportunity to join City permanently, with a loan move to Sporting CP preceding the permanent transfer. However, at the age of 19, Antony did not feel ready to make the move to Europe and opted to wait another year before joining Ajax and working under Erik ten Hag.

Victor Lindelof

Victor Lindelof was a target for Manchester United for some time before they eventually secured his signature for £30m ($36m) in the summer of 2017, following unsuccessful attempts to sign him in the preceding January transfer window. Benfica, his former club, resisted a mid-season sale, and there were rumors that City were looking to hijack the move later that year.

Lindelof did end up joining United, who were seemingly on the rise under the management of Jose Mourinho, while City endured a trophy-less debut campaign under Pep Guardiola. However, since Lindelof's arrival in Manchester, City have emerged as the dominant force in the city, and the Swedish defender has not exactly excelled during his time at United.

Jadon Sancho

Jadon Sancho stands apart from the others as he did join Manchester City initially, spending two years in their academy before moving to Borussia Dortmund. During his time in Germany, Sancho developed into one of the most promising wingers in Europe, and his value skyrocketed. It seemed that City had made a significant mistake by letting him go for a mere £8m ($10m).

However, City's decision to part ways with Sancho has been vindicated, given his struggles at Manchester United. After two seasons of underwhelming performances and a fallout with Erik ten Hag, Sancho spent the latter half of the season on loan at Dortmund. City had been aware of some of the negative aspects of Sancho's character that later became evident at United, such as his difficulties with punctuality and his tendency to become sulky when things didn't go his way.

In 2017, Sancho was left out of City's pre-season tour, which upset him as his teammate Phil Foden had been selected. In response, he refused to attend training with the youth team. Furthermore, Sancho's attitude had also been a cause for concern during his time with the England national team. Unfortunately, United overlooked these warning signs and made another costly error by signing him for £74m ($90m). It appears that Sancho will be leaving United in the summer for a significantly lower fee, marking the end of his tenure with the club.

At least Varane worked out...

Manchester City showed interest in signing Raphael Varane in 2020 as they were in search of a new center-back. However, his two glaring errors for Real Madrid in the Champions League last-16 second leg may have deterred City from pursuing the transfer.

Instead, City opted to sign Ruben Dias that summer. Nevertheless, reports suggest that City maintained their interest in Varane the following year when he had only one year remaining on his contract with Madrid. However, it was Manchester United who eventually secured the Frenchman's services for £50m ($60m).

Varane has proven to be a solid acquisition for United, despite his time at Old Trafford being marred by frequent muscle injuries. Unfortunately for United, Varane is likely to leave for free in the summer when his contract expires.

However, City is unlikely to regret missing out on Varane due to the consistent performances of Dias, as well as the successes of Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake in their defensive ranks.

And Fernandes has been a success

Manchester United can take pride in beating their rivals, Manchester City, to the signing of Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder was heavily linked with a move to City in the summer of 2019, with reports suggesting that City's sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, discussed a potential deal with Sporting CP and even offered players in exchange to lower the transfer fee.

However, Pep Guardiola has denied that City was ever close to signing Fernandes, and that same summer, they brought in Rodri from Atletico Madrid. United had also shown interest in Fernandes during that period, but it wasn't until the following January that they met Sporting's asking price and secured his services.

Since joining United, Fernandes has proven to be their most impactful signing in the last decade. He has consistently raised his game in derby matches against City, including scoring a highly controversial goal last season. Despite Fernandes' impressive performances, it is unlikely that many City fans would prefer him over Rodri, given the impact the Spanish midfielder has had at the club.

And then there's Ryan Giggs

Manchester United may have their fair share of regrets regarding players they signed ahead of Manchester City, but the decision to bring Ryan Giggs from the blue half of Manchester many years ago was undoubtedly worth it.

At the time, Giggs was known as Ryan Wilson and was gaining a reputation as the best teenage talent in the region. However, he was part of City's Centre of Excellence. It was a steward who first brought Giggs to the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson, who then went to the player's house on his 14th birthday to sign him for United as a schoolboy.

Giggs, a Salford lad, went on to become United's longest-serving and most decorated player. He was both feared by City and adored by United supporters. His impact and success at the club made the decision to bring him from City's grasp all the more worthwhile for United.

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