Former Manchester United Coach Unveils Sir Alex Ferguson's Goalkeeper Shortlist
Eric Steele, the former goalkeeping coach at Manchester United, has disclosed that Sir Alex Ferguson evaluated Manuel Neuer and Hugo Lloris as potential signings before ultimately acquiring David de Gea. This revelation sheds light on the strategic decisions behind United's search for a successor to Edwin van der Sar in 2011.
The Goalkeeper Hunt and De Gea's Record Signing
In 2011, Manchester United were actively seeking to replace the retiring Edwin van der Sar. The club finalized a deal for David de Gea from Atletico Madrid, valued at £18.9 million. This transfer positioned De Gea as the second most expensive goalkeeper in history at that time, trailing only Gianluigi Buffon's £32.6 million move to Juventus in 2001. De Gea proceeded to make 545 appearances for United before his departure in 2023, underscoring his long-term impact at Old Trafford.
Eric Steele's Extensive Scouting Mission
Eric Steele, who served under Sir Alex Ferguson's coaching staff, was tasked with scouting goalkeepers across Europe to identify a suitable replacement for Van der Sar. In a recent interview on the Talk of the Devils podcast, Steele detailed his rigorous evaluation process. 'I didn't know anything about the money, I just handed the brief over because by then I'd seen David live 17 times,' Steele remarked. 'But I'd also seen Lloris, Stekelenburg, I'd seen every No.1 in Europe. They used to know me at the airports.'
Steele emphasized the confidentiality required during these scouting missions, noting the challenges of maintaining secrecy. 'I had a really good friend of mine who is no longer with us, Alan Hodgkinson, we had to keep it confidential, who we were looking at,' he explained. 'You try keeping confidential when a goalkeeper coach ends up at Atletico and they go, 'I wonder why he is here'.'
The Decisive Moment and Ferguson's Trust
Steele recounted a pivotal moment during a semi-final match between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool at Anfield, which solidified his recommendation for De Gea. 'The game kicked off, I'll always remember, somebody got through inside right channel, typical David he stood up and saved it with his foot,' Steele described. 'He could stay big and use his feet, the ball hit his foot and went for a corner. I turned to Ray Clemence and said, 'I've seen enough', that was one minute into the game.'
Ultimately, the shortlist was narrowed down to Hugo Lloris, Manuel Neuer, and David de Gea. Steele revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson placed significant trust in his judgment. 'I think the manager, Sir Alex, has actually gone in and said 'in the end, I'll trust my goalkeeper coach',' Steele stated. 'Since I did an interview with him he said, 'I trust you because I tried and I didn't do so well did I from Schmeichel to Van der Sar'.' This trust proved pivotal in United's decision to sign De Gea, who became a cornerstone of the team for over a decade.
