10 Boyhood Man Utd Fans The Club Should Have Signed

10. Michael Essien

“I supported them when I was a kid and I used to like Roy Keane a lot. I met him when I went there for a trial but i didn’t dare tackle him.” - Michael Essien, May 2008. (Wilson, J. (2008) 'Champions League final: Michael Essien influenced by his Manchester United heroes'. - Telegraph

Michael Essien may have carved out a career in the Premier League as a direct rival to Manchester United, but during his youth he was an avid fanatic of the Red Devils. Were it not for a problem with his work permit, his passion for the club could have culminated with his replacing Roy Keane in the heartbeat of the Manchester United midfield.

It was at the start of 2000 that a teenage Essien made the trip to Old Trafford for a week-long trial after cheering on his heroes in the previous season’s Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich. Modelling his game on the dynamic Roy Keane, the all-action Ghanaian impressed Carrington scouts but a paperwork fault determined that he would be forced to join Bastia in France instead.

The Red Devils would return for his signature five years later when he was far more established (and expensive) - they seem to be making a habit of dragging back to the club those they let slip through their fingers at a significant financial cost. It would be Chelsea who won the race for his signature however, tying up a £24 million deal with Lyon.

Man United fans spent the following season groaning as Alan Smith was shoe-horned into midfield to replace the injured Keane, while Essien sparkled next to Frank Lampard as the Blues romped to their second title in as many years.