Transfer history: Francescoli

While telling that he was close to joining Barcelona back in 1986 when he was coaching Scottish club Aberdeen (read more here), Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson also explained in the same interview with British tabloid The Sunday Express that Barcelona kept in touch the following years and that they asked his advice when the club was considering the transfer of Uruguayan playmaker Enzo Francescoli. Given the time indications it can be assumed that this happened in the late eighties.

Enzo Francescoli (47), the childhood hero of former FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane, is the most legendary Uruguayan player of the last decades. In 1986 he came to Europe and played for three seasons with French club Racing Club de Paris. After one more year at Marseille, he left in 1990 for the Italian league, where he played with Cagliari and Torino.

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Transfer history: Ferguson (Manchester United)

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has told in an interview with British tabloid The Sunday Express that he was close to joining Barcelona back in 1986 when he was coaching Scottish club Aberdeen:

"I was interviewed for the Barcelona job when I was at Aberdeen. Terry Venables was in charge at the time but he was going to leave. He had recommended me and I met the Barcelona president in the Connaught Hotel London. Terry ended up staying and I always wonder what would have happened if he hadn't changed his mind. Barcelona actually kept in touch and even phoned to ask my opinion on Uruguayan playmaker Enzo Francescoli. I have never been tempted since. I have all the fulfillment I need with Manchester United. Anyway, it's difficult to say whether my methods would have worked in another country."


Sir Alex Ferguson (66) was the manager of Aberdeen from 1978 until 1986. He joined Manchester United in November 1986.

Terry Venables (65) arrived in Barcelona from English club Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 1984, replacing the Argentinian César Luis Menotti. Under Venables, Barcelona won one Spanish league title in 1985 and a League cup in 1986. In May of 1986, Barcelona lost the European Cup final to Steaua Bucarest on penalties. Venables was discharged in November 1987 and replaced by Luis Aragonés.


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