Former Manchester United manager David Moyes says not signing Toni Kroos is one of his biggest regrets in the transfer market.
Moyes had set up a deal for United to sign Kroos from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014, having met with the midfielder's agent and travelled to Germany to watch Kroos.
However, Moyes was sacked on Easter Monday six years ago and his replacement, Louis van Gaal, nixed a move for Kroos, having briefly coached him at Bayern. Kroos went onto win the World Cup that summer with Germany and helped Real Madrid to three Champions League triumphs across four seasons.
Moyes's only summer as United manager in 2013 has become infamous for the club's incompetence in the transfer market. A pursuit of Cesc Fabregas came to nought and United offered a world record £86million for Gareth Bale, despite the Welshman having his heart set on a move to Real Madrid.
"Toni Kroos would certainly be the one," Moyes told beinSports when asked about his top three misses in the transfer market. "At that time we were very much after Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas.
"But I've got to say prior to that, at Everton, we were really close to close to a lot of good players. We just couldn't quite get them over the line on several occasions."
Moyes passed on Thiago Alcantara, who moved from Barcelona to Bayern Munich in 2013, and United had a joint £28m bid rejected for Everton duo Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines. A deadline day move for Ander Herrera collapsed and United were unsuccessful with 11th hour offers for Daniele de Rossi of Roma and Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira. A loan deal for Real left-back Fabio Coentrao also fell through.
In 2014, Moyes scouted Atletico Madrid's Koke, Paul Pogba at Juventus, and Blaise Matuidi of Paris Saint-Germain, while the United first-team coach Phil Neville watched Saul Niguez on loan at Rayo Vallecano. Ilkay Gundogan also held informal talks with United while he was recuperating from a knee injury before Moyes settled on Kroos.
Moyes coached Real Sociedad for a year, was relegated with Sunderland, and spent six months at West Ham United before he was reappointed by The Hammers earlier this season. Moyes left Everton after 11 years to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at United in 2013 and, despite various failures since he left Goodison Park, feels he is a better manager.
"I believe so, because of experience as much as anything. I think when you've got over 900 hundred games under your belt, the majority of them in the Premier League, I think it gives you that experience of working at that level and working with different players.
"But I've got to say every club I've been at has been great. Every club. Manchester United, Sunderland, have shown me different things. [I've] experienced different parts of it and I think that's why now, when you get to this stage at this level, I think you're in a better position to manage."
"I think I'll always look back and regret leaving Everton because of the team and the players I had built at that time. But I'll never be regretful for joining Manchester United or doing what I've done."
Aghazzy
0
But that is what happened under Van Gaal and Jose as well...why are you laying all the blame squarely on Moyes?He should have been given more time.
Yeah you're right, he should have been given more time but he didn't show promise at the start with all his failed signing attempts the board was able to see ahead that he's not right for the club and moreover the team was playing bad without a style of play. you could see van gaal had a little bit of spark in him given he's been at different top club whereas Moyes has only Everton as his only big managed club. Mourinho came in and he made an impact given that he signed big personalities who could do his job, Zlatan, Pogba, Mkhitaryan etc and he had a spark in him and a drive to win silverware which he did in his first season. his second was unfortunate, we were runners up in supercup against Madrid, Runners up in the premier league and was knocked out in the semi final of FA cup by Chelsea. furious Mourinho was left with a flattened Center back given that smalling and jones couldn't live up to expectations, he needed maguire to sort things out at the back but couldn't get it then he became more angry and that robbed off on the team, he start to lose games in his thrid season and instead of being calm he aggravated by insulting the players and whining cuz he didn't get Maguire. He lost focus and lost the teams believe that's why he was axed out and Ole came in with a sigh of relief. Ole new the culture of the club and judging from his current impact in the team through signings and playing style we've found our foot again and with more time get to our glory days wining trophies again
FabrceBurundi
1
Don't need to regret sir because the future has 2choices, the Best and worst and you ve chosen the worst one
iarlinus0909
2
But we know appointing you was the biggest regret of Manchester United.
Leontheguru
1
Moyes should have gone for realistic signings with the attitude and quality to make a difference not overpriced, over hyped players like Fabregas,kroos,Tiago, at the time we needed a whole rebuild and all he signed was Fellaini as a last option we needed a right back, left back, center back and midfielder
cemaekns
0
You can still sign him now
therevenant
1
Moyes was the start of our misfortune, he didn't properly scout players who want to play for the club, he just wanted every super star player to come in which he didn't get right, i feel sorry for him cuz he had a wonderful team back then in Everton before moving to United
But that is what happened under Van Gaal and Jose as well...why are you laying all the blame squarely on Moyes?He should have been given more time.
baban07
1
signing you is our regret
Gatetepascal
1
you could have ruined his carrier, is the one who can be regretting now .
Aghazzy
1
Moyes was the start of our misfortune, he didn't properly scout players who want to play for the club, he just wanted every super star player to come in which he didn't get right, i feel sorry for him cuz he had a wonderful team back then in Everton before moving to United
Hiyadnprty
0
hahaha
ALexKingWaweru
4
MOYES was like a curse to Man United..he disorganized everything..