Sir Alex Ferguson dished out sage advice in the past that Premier League managers should take notice of – cautioning them against being swayed by standout performances at international tournaments.
The iconic former Manchester United boss is known for his shrewd insights and has previously suggested that major tournaments are not the ideal hunting ground for new talent, and it could prove the same for Euro 2024. United themselves have snapped up tournament stars in the past, notably the likes of Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo after their impressive World Cup displays in 2014.
Daley Blind was another, following his exploits with the Netherlands. And with the summer transfer window now open, current United manager Erik ten Hag might do well to consider Ferguson’s wisdom, which was once imparted to Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce shared the wisdom of Ferguson on his No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, saying: “One thing you don’t do – and this is not me, this is Sir Alex [Ferguson] when I spoke to him at his height at Manchester United – never buy a player after an international competition. Because they normally let you down more than anybody else.
“Everybody speculates about somebody that’s stood out at the Euros or World Cup. [Ferguson] said, ‘The amount of flops that happen when a board’s bought [a player based on] that tournament into the football club at inflated prices’.”
He added: “A lot of players will want to go into the Euros and impress to try and get to the Premier League. Unless you’re already with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Juventus, places like that. The rest will want to try and get to the Premier League and impress.”
In the years following Ferguson’s departure, United broke the bank for Paul Pogba after his stellar role in France’s journey to the Euro 2016 final, despite the player’s previous ties to the club. Although Ferguson seemed hesitant at times, some of his most successful signings came on the heels of international tournaments.
Wayne Rooney was a teenage sensation at Euro 2004, dazzling the world at just 18, which led to his headline-grabbing transfer from Everton. Ferguson didn’t shy away from splashing cash on top defenders, acquiring Jaap Stam (£10.75m post-1998 World Cup) and Rio Ferdinand (£29.1m post-2002 World Cup), both of whom became the world’s priciest defenders at the time but proved their worth at United.
The club also secured long-term midfield talents Michael Carrick after the 2006 World Cup and Anderson following the 2007 Copa America.
Despite these successes, it must be noted that not all of Ferguson’s transfers were hits. Following Euro 96, United secured the signatures of Karel Poborsky – famed for his lob against Portugal that became a defining moment of the tournament as Czech Republic emerged as unexpected runners-up – and Dutch player Jordi Cruyff.
Despite contributing to United’s league victory and Champions League semi-final run with 28 appearances, Poborsky departed after just 18 months, replaced by rising star David Beckham.
Cruyff spent four years at Old Trafford, becoming part of the legendary treble-winning squad. However, injuries hindered his ability to secure a regular spot in the team. After making 58 appearances, he was loaned to Celta Vigo before being sold to Alaves in 2000.
While Sir Alex’s words may ring true that not every signing based on an international tournament may be a hit, he has made some iconic moves in the past for players.
The finale of the Euro 2024 tournament takes place on Sunday, July 14 at 8pm with Spain and England battling it out for the trophy, and it’ll be interesting to see who shines on the biggest stage then.
