David Moyes has opened up on Manchester United’s failed attempts to sign Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas during his short-lived spell as manager, Soccernet.football reports.
Appointed as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor in 2013, Moyes endured a difficult summer transfer window, managing only two signings: Marouane Fellaini and Guillermo Varela.
The club’s unsuccessful pursuits of top targets left Moyes in a precarious position, which he has now described as a “terrible” start.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Moyes recounted his plans to continue Ferguson’s legacy at United without radically altering the club’s philosophy.
“My plans were to not do anything different to what Sir Alex Ferguson did, but I couldn’t be Alex, I couldn’t manage like him. I wasn’t going to come in and change the philosophy,” he said.
Moyes revealed that Fabregas was United’s priority signing and that he had personally engaged with the Barcelona midfielder.
“At the time, I remember when I’d met Sir Alex, he asked whether I’d be interested in Cesc Fàbregas, and I said, ‘Definitely,’”
Moyes explained. “I’d spoken to Cesc, and he had said that if he started the first game for Barcelona, he wouldn’t come but if he didn’t then he would come. So, I was going to have to wait right to that time to find out.”
United also aimed to secure Bale, whom Moyes felt would fit the club’s tradition of having talented wide players.
“To be fair to the club, they’d offered more money and had tried to get him, but he had his heart set on Real Madrid,” Moyes said. Despite United’s significant bid, Bale eventually joined Madrid for a then world-record £85.1 million.
Without alternatives to Fabregas and Bale, United scrambled on deadline day, signing Fellaini from Everton.
“I didn’t have a backup to what I wanted after those two players,” Moyes said. “When I didn’t get the first two signings, it made my start terrible because the window wasn’t great.”
Although Fellaini faced mixed reactions initially, the Belgian scored 22 goals in 177 appearances for United, eventually winning over the fans.