Manchester United are doing what Erik ten Hag didn't get to do in the transfer market

Eric Cantona and Daniel James have nothing in common other than playing for the Uniteds of Leeds and Manchester. The second thing they could share is applause at Old Trafford as a Leeds player.

James had a respectable two years at United, who banked a rare profit with his £25million sale to Leeds in 2021. He is yet to play for his parent club at Old Trafford. When he emerged for Fulham against United in 2022, the rendition of 'We all hate Leeds scum' was not particularly caustic.

Some United fans put their hands together for Cantona on his maiden appearance in M16 in September 1992. In the white of Leeds, Cantona attempted an overhead kick from the edge of the area at the Stretford End. He connected cleanly but it was handled dependably by Peter Schmeichel.

The flurry of applause was for the attempt rather than the save. One United fan recalled another asking him why he was clapping a Leeds player.

Sir Alex Ferguson tells a story about picking Steve Bruce's and Gary Pallister's brains about Cantona as they relaxed in the dressing room bath after that 2-0 win. It was the only time Cantona ever played against United and he was back in Manchester two-and-a-half months later, this time to be introduced by his new club.

Almost all of Ferguson's significant signings in the early years of the Premier League were top-flight players who had caught his eye. He wanted to sign Roy Keane as soon as the United scout Les Kershaw had watched him on his full debut for Nottingham Forest at Anfield in 1990. Andy Cole scored home and away against United in 1993-94 for Newcastle before his British-record move for £7m in 1995.

Henning Berg was a title winner with Blackburn and Teddy Sheringham was United's scourge in a New Year's Day