06 February 2024 , 10:30
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Former Manchester United CEO David Gill has finally revealed the truth behind why the Red Devils didn't sign Ronaldinho.
In the summer of 2003, United decided to sell star David Beckham in the wake of his high-profile fallout with Sir Alex Ferguson, pocketing £25million from Real Madrid. Ronaldinho, who at the time was making his name with Paris Saint-Germain, quickly found himself in line to be Beckham's replacement at Old Trafford and help keep Ferguson's side at the top of European football.
But the Red Devils never went through with the deal and the Brazilian sensation soon ended up at Barcelona, where he'd lift five trophies across five seasons and win the 2005 Ballon d'Or. Ex-United bigwig Gill, who at the time of transfer negotiations was serving as deputy chief executive to top dog Peter Kenyon, says that he "didn't get a good vibe" during an in-person meeting.
"To me, we were never that close," Gill, 66, told the VIBE with Five podcast. "We went over to Paris when he was there, we met with his brother, Roberto Assis, who was his agent.
"We discussed it... we being Peter and I. We met them at Manchester Airport, we went through and did all the numbers. We nearly got an agreement on the wages and what we paid the agents. Peter went back to Old Trafford and I said I'd look after them."
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Gill continued: "I just didn't get a good vibe. Barcelona were in there and I've done enough deals to know 'do they really want to come here' when you're buying something.
"I just felt if Barcelona hadn't have been there we'd have got him. But if Barcelona were there, they were clearly his first choice, a Brazilian going to Barcelona - with all due respect not withstanding the success of Manchester United, they were his first choice.
"If they hadn't had come up with the goods, we'd had all of the deal done. The numbers were done. I don't think it was anything we'd done wrong it was just that Barcelona had came in. We were close but no cigar."
Your turn! Should Manchester United still have signed Ronaldinho? Let us know your verdict in the comments section.
Ronaldinho ended up signing for Barcelona (JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)Ferguson has also discussed the Red Devils' ill-fated pursuit of the World Cup-winning playmaker, telling GQ: "The attempt to buy Ronaldinho reflected the fact that United have always sported talismanic players. I was always hunting for that talent.
"My line of reasoning was, 'We're getting £25m for Beckham, and we're getting Ronaldinho for £19m'. For God's sake, wake up. It was a steal."
Choosing to snub Ronaldinho coincided with United's three-year title drought, as Arsenal and Chelsea shared the English crown until Ferguson's men wrestled it back in 2007 when Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were the hottest prospects. By then, Gill was CEO, having replaced Kenyon in September 2003 following his departure to newly-rich Chelsea.
Ronaldinho himself has previously confirmed that he was close to signing for the Red Devils, while Kleberson - the Brazilian's international teammate, who was also in the process of joining United - revealed to ESPN: "Ronaldinho told me he was going to Manchester. He kept saying to me, 'Come to Manchester!
"I wanted to go, but I was reluctant because I didn't speak English and United didn't have any Portuguese speakers. But Ronaldinho persuaded me and I went to Manchester."