Former Old Trafford CEO also discusses Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature and explains why a move for Ronaldinho failed
Last updated: 19/07/20 12:39 pm
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led Manchester United on an undefeated 19-game match, which dates back to January
Manchester United are returning to the track with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a period when players didn’t join the club for “the right reasons”, according to Peter Kenyon.
After the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, United made several captivating purchases that did not live up to their billing, including Alexis Sanchez, Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao.
But Kenyon – who worked closely with Ferguson as United’s chief executive until his departure in 2003 – believes that Solskjaer is reviving the club following the example of his former boss in the transfer market.
Peter Kenyon was managing director of Manchester United before leaving the same role at Chelsea in 2003
Kenyon said The Telegraph: “I don’t think people fully understand United. United is a huge club and just because you’re a world class player, it doesn’t mean you can go there and be successful.
“I don’t think United is paying the biggest transfer fees. While we’ve always paid very good wages and competed in transfers – although Alex would continually say we never gave him enough money – what we got were players who really wanted to be United for the right reasons.
“I think they’ve lost it a little and are taking it back, and that’s why I think they’ll be back. Ole is good because he understands that aspect. It’s really important.”
Kenyon explains Ronaldo’s success, Ronaldinho’s failure
Kenyon’s last summer as CEO of United saw him lose Ronaldinho’s signature in Barcelona, but managed to bring an 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined United as a teenager in 2003, before leaving for Real Madrid in a world-record transfer in 2008
Ferguson was already interested in signing Ronaldo before United faced Sporting in a pre-season friendly, but notoriously increased his interest after witnessing his truly impressive performance.
Kenyon says Ferguson couldn’t even wait until after the game to make his move, saying, “I got a half-time call saying, ‘rather than leaving [Ronaldo] here, can we take it home please?
“So the team left the next day and I stayed there.”
Kenyon was less successful at signing Ronaldinho, but says United felt uncomfortable with the amount of money needed to reward the Brazilian from PSG.
“We tried a lot for Ronaldinho and in the end we offered what was a load of money, even by our standards,” explained Kenyon.
Ronaldinho joined Barcelona in 2003 and won the Balon d’Or in 2005
“Getting the player for the sum of money paid didn’t go well for United. It was decided that if he was right and we want him, we will pay, because we could.
“He crossed the line and thinking – and it’s not about his abilities – turned out to be an excellent decision.”
Podcast Review PL: Best Man Utd team from Fergie?
Is the current Manchester United team the best since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013? We discuss this and more on the Premier League Review Podcast.
United are currently engaged in an unbeaten 19-game game in all competitions, the longest of these since November 2010 under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson (29 games). But with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team still in the running for the top four, is it fair to say that this is the best team in the United States since the great Scotsman left the club?
United has had a devastating shape since the Premier League started, scoring 21 goals in just eight games and will face Chelsea on Sunday in the English Cup semi-final in search of a first piece of silverware from 2017 under Jose Mourinho.
The maximum score of the last two games would still leave them 13 points behind Mourinho’s count since they came second in 2017/18, but it is undeniable that the club has made progress since spring.
So the best team united in the post-Fergie era? It really depends on the definition of “best”.
Read more here to see what Sky Sports’ experts think.
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