Man Utd Bring Back Player Sir Alex Ferguson Sold 14 Years Ago in 'Absolute Steal'

A Manchester United player who was sold by Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2011 has been brought back to the club.

United have had a recent policy of re-signing former Carrington academy graduates to play a role in the current academy setup, either as over-age players for the under-21 squad or as coaches.

Tom Huddlestone, Paul McShane and Tommy Rowe have all held player-coach roles with the United academy, with Huddlestone telling SPORTbible last year in a wide-ranging interview that he would train with the U21 team in order to keep up his match fitness in case he was required to play.

Now, United have brought another Carrington graduate back to Old Trafford.

Wales international defender James Chester, who retired from professional football in February 2025 following injury issues, is working with the club's age groups, as per the Manchester Evening News.

It is reported that Chester is coaching United's youngsters at U15 and U16 level on what is being described as a 'voluntary basis'.

Chester is working three days per week at the academy as he takes his first steps into coaching.

The 37-year-old signed his first professional contract with United in 2007 and made his first and only senior appearance as a substitute in a League Cup semi-final tie against Derby County in 2009.

He transferred to Hull City in 2011 for a nominal fee described by Ferguson as an 'absolute steal', and helped them earn promotion to the Premier League in the 2012/13 season.

Chester made 47 appearances for the Tigers in the top flight, and helped them reach the 2014 FA Cup final, before a 13-game spell with West Brom.

A four-year stint at Aston Villa, where he made 126 appearances, followed, though he did not play in the Premier League for them after earning the second promotion of his career.

He moved to Stoke in 2020, before ending his career with stints at Derby, Barrow and Salford City.

At international level, he collected 37 caps for Wales between 2014 and 2018, and played every game during Euro 2016 as Wales reached the quarter-finals.

The MEN report that Chester, who reached the 2007 FA Youth Cup final with United, is studying for a UEFA B licence as he considers a future career in coaching.