Thiago Alcântara, the Barcelona star coveted by Manchester United throughout the summer, has snubbed David Moyes and decided to link up with former boss Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich instead.
Hardly the most surprising of moves, you might think, considering the German giants have just come off the back of a well-deserved Champions League win and are currently a better side.
But United were supposedly the favourites to secure his signature – so what happened? Is there more to this than meets the eye?
Many have suggested that with Sir Alex’s Ferguson retirement and exit from Old Trafford, with it goes the lure of signing for the club.
Would you rather work for Sir Alex, a man who won 38 trophies during his time at United and is rightly considered one of the greats of the game?
Or would you rather work under David Moyes, a manager whose only triumph to date is the Second Division title with Preston North End?
Of course it’s not as black and white as that – players will have several factors to consider when weighing up their options, i.e. location, size and success of the club, and salary.
And with Thiago, the influence of Guardiola was undoubtedly a key influence, having previously worked with the 22-year-old midfielder at Barcelona B.
But Guardiola is also a proven manager who has virtually won it all – Moyes hasn’t. Outside the UK, he’s a relative unknown.
And that could hamper United.
While the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo are unlikely to sign for the Premier League champions, it would have been a lot likelier with Sir Alex at the helm.
And the same applies for Gareth Bale, as well as another Barcelona star, Cesc Fabreas, who United have renewed their interest in.
Unless United’s rumoured £25m bid is a sign of desperation after losing out on Thiago.
Despite the Guardiola connection at Bayern, Thiago faces a tough challenge to get game time when he has Mario Gotze, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Javi Martinez to contend with.
Had he signed for the Red Devils, you would have thought he’d be a shoe-in for that central midfield spot alongside Michael Carrick.
But obviously something has swayed the Spaniard to Bavaria.
A lot of United fans will say even under Ferguson’s tenure the club never signed that many ‘proven’ players, looking to develop young and hungry ones instead.
And aside from the likes of Robin van Persie, Juan Sebastien Veron and Rio Ferdinand, they’d be right.
But Moyes is clearly striving to sign some of the world’s best talent – just look at the players they’ve been linked with: Ronaldo, Bale, Thiago and Fabregas.
And recently, Chief Executive Ed Woodward said the club are prepared to back their new manager to go out and sign a ‘stellar player’.
The money is apparently there, and so is the motivation on Moyes’ behalf, but now Fergie is gone, players might not see Manchester United as a major attraction anymore.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised, if after this summer of posturing and chasing of some of the world’s finest talent, they end up ‘settling’ for Moyes’ former players Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini.
The ex-Everton boss may find it harder than expected to move out from the shadow of Sir Alex.
Image courtesy of BBC Sport, via YouTube, with thanks.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
