Sir Alex Ferguson's signing of Louis Saha from Fulham in January 2004 sparked a dressing room backlash, according to former players. The transfer saga began when Fulham manager Chris Coleman accused Manchester United of bullying, prompting Saha to publicly demand a move. Ferguson countered that Fulham had breached etiquette by leaking a private letter containing United's bid.
Saha threatened to go on strike and leave for free at the end of his contract if the move fell through. United eventually paid £12.8 million for the striker, but tensions remained. Gary Neville revealed that Ferguson unusually asked defenders for their opinion on Saha after an FA Cup match in 2001, and they all endorsed the signing.
However, Ruud van Nistelrooy was angered by Saha's arrival, as his playing time decreased. The tension peaked during the 2005/06 League Cup final, where Van Nistelrooy was left on the bench. Rio Ferdinand recalled that Van Nistelrooy went 'nuts' after Ferguson allegedly promised he would play but did not bring him on, leading to his eventual departure from the club.
