Rio Ferdinand claims Liverpool star wanted to join Manchester United

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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has claimed Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara wanted to sign for the Red Devils almost a decade ago.

The Spain international left Barcelona in 2013, joining Bayern Munich in a €25 million deal after eight years with the Catalan side.

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Before signing for the Bavarians, Thiago contacted Ferdinand to see if Man United would be interested in arranging a transfer, the former centre-half has revealed.

Before Thiago left Barcelona, he called me,’ Ferdinand told FIVE, as per the Metro. ‘He speaks fluent English and we had played against Barcelona in the US on tour.

So we knew about him, anyway, and few years later Moyes was manager. I don’t speak to Thiago, I don’t know him, but David de Gea gave him my number.

So [Thiago] rang me, and he said, ‘Rio, I would love to come to Man United, can you speak to someone?

I spoke to the people at the club… Moyes, it might have [also] been [Ed] Woodward, I mentioned it. [They replied], ‘no, we’re already down the line with a couple of other signings’.

Thiago spent seven glittering years with Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga every season between 2013 and 2020, and capping off his time at the Allianz Arena with a Champions League title.

Thiago signed for Liverpool last summer, but it all could have been very different

Had the Spaniard joined Man United eight years ago, it would have almost certainly ruled out the possibility of him signing for Liverpool last summer.

Mind you, it could have potentially altered the trajectory the Red Devils found themselves on in the mid-2010s, with lows of finishing seventh in the Premier League and highs of winning the Europa League for the first time.

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