REMEMBER Bebe?
Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson probably still breaks into a cold sweat when he hears the name of the player he signed from Portuguese third division side Vitoria de Guimaraes for £7.4million – despite never having seen him play first-hand.
When it comes to dud signings, they don’t come much bigger.
Bebe endured a nightmare four-year spell at Old Trafford, making only made two appearances for United – though Red Devils fans will argue that was two too many.
It now transpires that Bebe never actually liked football – and that he didn’t really want to become a professional.
Currently on loan at La Liga side Rayo Vallecano from Benfica, the forward opened up on his bizarre transfer to the Theatre of Dreams.
He told the Daily Star: “I had eight years in an orphanage. There, I did not like football.
“But my friends always wanted to play and I had no choice but to join in.”
He added: “They asked me to go to the Homeless World Cup, and I accepted.
“I went there as a joke, but scored 40 goals in six matches.
“I didn’t want to sign for a team because I did not want to have to leave the orphanage.
“It was difficult to leave. But I carried on going back there to sleep whenever I could.”
Hmmm, little wonder then that he will go down as one of the biggest flops in Premier League history and certainly one of Ferguson’s more forgettable signings.
Bebe may not have liked the game … but he obviously wasn’t too averse to picking up in the vicinity of £900,000-a-year in wages.
It kind of makes the signing of Marouane Fellaini from Everton for £27.5m in 2013 seem like a decent bit of business!
United fans, is Bebe the worst signing in United’s history?
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Today it’s West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United.
Live on Sky Sports 1, 4pm kick-off at The Hawthorns.
Remarkably Manchester United could move closer to Champions League qualification with a win after Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all dropped points yesterday.
How quickly things have changed since the away defeat to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League last 32 first leg.
After turning things around with a 5-1 win in the return leg, followed by a 3-2 victory over Arsenal and a tight 1-0 win over Watford, Man United are still in with a real shout if they can take 3 points today which would leave them 4th, equal on points with Manchester City.
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Codex
Mar 6, 2016 at 1:36 pm
Mark Bosnich?