Manchester United almost signed this Premier League star for pennies

Manchester United could have signed this star.

In football there are small momentary choices which have profound impacts and ramifications. The numerous close calls which clubs rue for decades to come. Like how Arsene Wenger refused to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic without giving him a trial, how Liverpool boss Gerard Houlier thought a young Cristiano Ronaldo‘s asking price was too steep at Sporting Lisbon. For years Manchester United have been largely error free, however it seems they might finally have their ‘what if’ player.

Christian Pulisic looks set be one of the Premier League’s newest stars. Part of a promising Chelsea set-up, since the Premier League re-start the American has been in stupendous form. Quick, agile and with a low centre of gravity which enables him to slalom past thickets of defenders, Pulisic is the real deal.

Comparisons to Eden Hazard might not be far fetched.

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For years the 21 year old has been tipped to become the first elite American football star and it seems Pulisic is making the right steps in order to achieve that.

As you might have gleamed from the opening paragraph, if fate would have had it differently, Pulisic could have been strutting his stuff at Manchester United and proving his worth at Old Trafford instead of Stamford Bridge.

According to the club’s former scout Jorge Avial who spoke to Manchester Evening News via Football 365, he was adamant the Red Devils should bring Pulisic to the club after spotting him in Dortmund’s academy.

Avial claims he begged the club directors to lure Pulisic to United, however his efforts were rebuffed.

Jorge Avail said the following:

"“I said: ‘Listen, this player is extraordinary… we need to make a decision right away because if we don’t someone else is going to see him, and is going to beat us.”"

While United are well stocked up in the forward department, the frontline is far from perfect. Perhaps if United had bought Pulisic upon Avial’s recommendation they would not be on a relentless and hefty pursuit for Jadon Sancho this summer.

Christian Pulisic is an outstanding talent that slipped from United’s grasp. One will hope his story will be a lesson to the club’s scouting network and that United will ensure they never make a similar mistake.

Marketing wise, Christian Pulisic could have been a major coup for the club. The only thing which may have induced some reticence would perhaps have been Freddy Adu‘s trial period at Old Trafford a decade prior.

Adu who was dubbed as the American Pele did little to convince the club’s staff and perhaps that could have played in the Red Devils’ minds when considering their move for Pulisic.

Next. Utd are desperate to bring Ibrahimovic's heir to Old Trafford. dark

Do you regret not buying Christian Pulisic, or will Sancho be a better signing?