Manchester United reached the 2010/11 Champions League final after dispatching of German side Schalke 6-1 on aggregate, but although that scoreline looks quite convincing in hindsight, the reality is that Alex Ferguson's men would have racked up double digits were it not for the exploits of Manuel Neuer.
With Edwin Van Der Sar on the verge of retirement, all Manchester United fans knew action was needed and many of them thought that they were watching their next keeper when Neuer pulled off some incredible saves in Gelsenkirchen, but instead a skinny Spaniard by the name of David De Gea was brought in, and the big German strolled over to Bayern Munich with no competition for his transfer.
Neuer has gone on to comfortably become the consensus best goalkeeper in the world, but while De Gea took his time in catching up he can now justifiably be talked about in the same bracket, so now seems like the appropriate time for Fergie to reveal that he could have gone after Neuer instead, if it wasn't for his goalkeeping coach insisting that De Gea must be signed.
Eric Steele is a man credited with a large role in De Gea's development in England, and as goalkeeping coach for Alex Ferguson he was the reason that United dropped all interest in Neuer and focused on the boy from Madrid:
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,” recalled Sir Alex.
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.
Well.. Saying De Gea is better than Neuer is pushing it a bit, but De Gea has been playing so well in recent seasons that it makes Eric Steele's judge of goalkeeping talent look very impressive.
It's interesting to think how things would have worked out if Neuer had actually signed for Man United. Would he have hot-tailed it to Bayern if they failed to make the Champions League under Moyes? Would Bayern have enjoyed as much success as they have done? Would Neuer have settled in seamlessly in England unlike De Gea? We'll never know.
All we do know is that a manager has yet again claimed that he could have signed one of the best players playing today.
