According to a report by Manchester Evening News on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Manchester United missed the opportunity to sign French football legend Zinedine Zidane in 1996 after former manager Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly decided against completing the transfer to avoid upsetting Eric Cantona.

Ferguson enjoyed remarkable success in the transfer market throughout his illustrious managerial career, although some of his decisions regarding potential signings have continued to attract attention from football fans.

Among his most successful signings were Cantona, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Peter Schmeichel. However, Manchester United also missed out on several exceptional talents, including Brazilian star Ronaldinho and French midfielder Zidane.

Zidane eventually moved from Bordeaux to Juventus in the summer of 1996, where he enjoyed an impressive spell in Italian football before establishing himself as one of the greatest players of his generation.

During his five seasons at Juventus, the Frenchman won two Serie A titles and the Italian Cup before joining Real Madrid. He also played an important role in France's historic triumph at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards has now disclosed that the club had an opportunity to bring Zidane to Old Trafford, but Ferguson reportedly turned down the possibility because Cantona was already an influential figure in the squad.

According to Edwards, the former United manager was concerned that signing another prominent French footballer could affect Cantona's position and influence within the dressing room.

Speaking during an appearance on Keys and Gray Unleashed, Edwards said: "There was also a chance where we could have got Zidane. But we had Cantona at the time, and Alex didn't want to upset Cantona."

Edwards also revealed that Manchester United missed out on other notable players, including Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne. He suggested that signing some of these players could have made Ferguson's already successful team even stronger.

Interestingly, Cantona announced his retirement from professional football the following season, a decision that surprised many supporters and left Ferguson without the opportunity to explore a possible partnership between the two French football stars.

As a result, Manchester United missed the chance to secure Zidane's services before he went on to achieve extraordinary success with Juventus, Real Madrid and the French national team.