Manchester United icons Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have broken their silence about a clandestine transfer summit that ultimately paved the way for Paul Pogba's record-breaking return to Old Trafford.
The Secret Meeting That Changed United's Transfer Policy
The remarkable revelation emerged during the former midfielders' appearance on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, where they detailed how then-executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward consulted them about potential signings during a period of significant transition for the club.
The meeting occurred during the 2013/14 season while Ryan Giggs was serving as caretaker manager following David Moyes' departure. United were navigating their first major overhaul after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, desperately seeking to reclaim their dominant position in English football.
Four World-Class Midfielders on United's Radar
Butt recalled being called back to the training ground for an urgent discussion with Scholes, Giggs, and Woodward, who participated via Zoom from London. The executive presented the United legends with a four-man shortlist of elite midfield targets.
"He gave us a list of midfielders," Butt revealed. "I know Pogba was one, Kroos weren't you saying? Fabregas might've been one."
Scholes added another global superstar to the mix: "I think Modric might've been one as well."
The quartet represented some of world football's most talented creative forces, with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric continuing their legendary careers at Real Madrid, while Cesc Fàbregas would later return to England with Chelsea.
The Fateful Decision That Brought Pogba Home
After thorough discussion weighing the pros and cons of each candidate, the United legends delivered their decisive verdict to Woodward.
"The end of the conversation was, 'go for both of them, Kroos and Pogba, because we're Man United and we need to get back to the top'," Butt explained.
The former midfielder elaborated on their strategic thinking, drawing parallels with defensive partnerships: "We're not all the same, and you need a bit to complement each other. That was how it was left, and then they went all-out for Pogba."
United ultimately secured Pogba's homecoming in August 2016, completing a transfer from Juventus that could have reached £93 million with additional clauses. The French international made 233 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford, contributing 39 goals and 51 assists before departing on a free transfer in 2022.
Pogba's United career remains polarising among supporters, with some cherishing moments of brilliance while others believe he never consistently justified his enormous price tag. The revelation about alternative targets like Kroos and Modric raises intriguing questions about how different United's midfield might have looked had they pursued other options from that fateful shortlist.
