Sir Alex Ferguson has named the one player he wishes he managed at Man Utd but never did

Sir Alex Ferguson has named the one player he wishes he'd signed for Manchester United but was unable to do so.

Ferguson managed some of the greatest names in world football during his 27-year reign at United.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are just some of the icons to have played under Ferguson at Old Trafford.

But there is always the one that got away.

In Ferguson's case, this was former England international Paul Gascoigne.

When asked by Gary Neville to answer questions from SPORTbible's audience, Ferguson had no doubts over naming the former Newcastle, Tottenham and Rangers star as the one player he wishes he'd signed.

"Paul Gascoigne, without question. He was the best English player since Bobby Charlton, he was a fantastic player," Ferguson said in 2021. Watch the video below for his full answer.

Ferguson attempted to sign Gascoigne after seeing his individual brilliance on display in a match for Newcastle against United.

But unfortunately for Ferguson and United, Gascoigne had already agreed to move to Tottenham.

"We didn't get him and I think, looking back now, he made a big mistake. He recognised it himself years later," added Ferguson.

"We had Geordies in the camp – Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce – even Gary Pallister from Middlesbrough. We had people there that would have taken care of him, particularly Bryan Robson – he was fantastic with players, as you know.

"So he goes to an island, London, and you're easily swallowed up there, for a young lad. I think that was a big mistake by him.

"He was a marvellous player. I loved his strength. We played at Newcastle up there on Easter Monday and he'd just come back from injury. They were near the bottom of the league and as soon as he came back they started winning games.

"I went there and played three in the middle of the pitch – [Norman] Whiteside, Robson and Remi Moses. He destroyed them.

"And then he nutmegged Moses right in front of the dugout and patted him on the head! I'm jumping out the box going…

"Honestly he was unbelievable and I said to [former Manchester United chairman] Martin Edwards on the way home: 'Sign this boy. Get on the phone to him on Monday.'

"But by that time, he had already done a deal with Tottenham, which was really unfortunate.

"That was a disappointment because he agreed to sign and then Tottenham changed his mind by buying his mother and father a house."