Manchester United might revisit Sir Alex Ferguson comment in Barcelona transfer talks

It was in December 2008 that Sir Alex Ferguson uttered one of his most famous quotes as Manchester United manager, biting back at Real Madrid amid their relentless pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Do you think I would get into a contract with that mob? Jesus Christ, no chance. I wouldn't sell them a virus," was Ferguson's take on talk in Spain a deal had been already been agreed.

Of course, a deal was agreed the following summer, but the vitriol that passed Ferguson's lips made his disdain for Real and the way they had approached signing Ronaldo clear.

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This had been a bitter transfer tussle and Real used every tool in the book to try and prize their man away from Old Trafford, including a public courtship designed to unsettle the player which ended with Ronaldo claiming he was being treated like a slave by being made to stay at United.

Transfers are more regularly played out in the public domain now and a dozen years later Ronaldo is again trying to engineer a move away from United.

But that is not the transfer saga that has dominated the agenda at Old Trafford for most of this summer. Instead, that is their attempts to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona, with talks over a deal now approaching the three-month mark.

Once this interminable saga comes to an end there might be a few United executives ready to repurpose Ferguson's statement and aim it at Spain's other marquee club.

Barcelona have been the central force in this transfer window and United are far from the only club to be riled by them. Chelsea have missed out on several transfer targets to a club mired in debt, who are remortgaging for tomorrow to pay for today.

That is only kicking the can