Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed which player Sir Alex Ferguson had wanted to sign instead of Norwegian.
Solskjaer joined swapped Molde for United back in 1996 in a £1.5million move and went on to earn cult hero status in his time at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer made 366 appearances for United, netting 126 goals in that time, including a dramatic stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final to secure a historic treble.
Advert
However, things could have been very different had Ferguson had his way back back in 1996.
“Sir Alex wanted Alan Shearer, and who could blame him? He was the best goalscorer,” Solskjaer told FourFourTwo. “But many goals doesn’t guarantee trophies. United signed a cheaper striker – and I hope the gaffer was happy with me.”
At the time Shearer was hot property having just won the Golden Boot at Euro 1996. However, he famously snubbed an Old Trafford move to join his hometown club Newcastle United that summer for a world record £15million fee.
Advert
Solskjaer however, admitted he felt little pressure to be an adequate alternative to Shearer.
“I felt no pressure whatsoever,” insists Solskjaer. “It felt like a privilege. I was six minutes into my debut when I scored.
“Eric Cantona was the first one to celebrate with me, David Beckham was the second. I looked around at the crowd going mad and I had all the players thanking me.
Advert
“That was a wow moment, the start of something special. I played with some of the best players in the world, but then we were one of the best teams in the world.
“We had a great dressing room. We challenged each other, we loved each other, we fought with each other in the dressing room because we needed to win.
“We had some fiery characters. David May was the joker, Paul Scholes was the silent assassin, sat there at the back throwing comments.
“Giggsy was the entertainer. Eric Cantona set the mood. When he came into the dressing room, everyone just sat down and looked at him. Everyone looked up to him.”
Chris Byfield