Gary Neville recalls the ‘biggest mistake’ Man United made in the transfer market under Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson is widely heralded as the best manager in the history of Manchester United.

In charge from November 1986 to May 2013, he oversaw 1,500 matches – winning 895 of them.

The great Scot delivered 38 trophies to Old Trafford, including 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues.

He also signed some iconic players, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona and Peter Schmeichel.

However, Ferguson was not perfect in the transfer market. Even he made mistakes.

According to ex-United captain Gary Neville on a recent episode of The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, selling Dutch defender Jaap Stam to Lazio in August 2001 was Ferguson’s most significant transfer error during his 26-year reign at Old Trafford.

‘Jaap was the biggest one where I felt at the time that it was questionable,’ recalled Neville. ‘And the boss has said it was his biggest mistake, hasn’t he, in his book?

‘That was the one where I look at that transfer and think, “He’s the best centre back in the world. No-one’s beating him. No-one’s beating Jaap Stam!”‘

Former right back Neville played alongside Stam throughout the Dutchman’s three-season spell in Manchester.

Stam had various partners in central defence, while Denis Irwin or Phil Neville usually played at left back.

‘He was just a powerhouse,’ Neville added. ‘Me and Denis could go forward, or me and Phil, whoever it was, and you’d leave Jaap at the back with anyone.

‘He was a bit like [Virgil] van Dijk at his peak two or three years ago, where he’d just take the ball off you! You can’t get past him. A player looks to run at Jaap Stam, and they’re just refusing it. They’re passing it! That was the one I felt wasn’t quite right.’

Source:www.dailymail.co.uk