Middlesbrough supporters still shiver hearing Uruguayan's name after Man Utd hijack - Sir Alex Ferguson phone call stole star | OneFootball

Diego Forlan's name will bring back sore memories for Middlesbrough supporters.

Diego Forlán was one of the most revered strikers of his generation, with the Uruguayan’s spell in Spain nothing short of sensational.

His years at Villarreal and Atlético Madrid were truly exceptional. While he was often overshadowed by the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Forlán remains one of La Liga’s all-time greats.

Before his brilliance in Spain, he endured a difficult spell in England with Manchester United. Despite showing glimpses of his talent, he struggled to find consistency in front of goal and never quite lived up to expectations at Old Trafford.

But that could have all been very different, had he followed through with his proposed move to Middlesbrough.

Sir Alex Ferguson snatches Diego Forlán from Middlesbrough

The early 2000s were a period in Middlesbrough's history where they were looking to assert themselves in the Premier League, having secured promotion from the First Division (now EFL Championship) in 1997-98.

Midway through the 2001–02 season, they were in search of a new striker and turned their attention to Independiente’s Diego Forlán, who had scored an impressive 39 goals in 85 appearances for the Argentine club. A £6.2 million deal was swiftly arranged, to be paid in 18 installments, and the striker jetted into Gatwick Airport, poised for a move up to Teesside.

That was when a phone call came through from Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson. The Scotsman, already the winner of seven Premier League titles at Old Trafford, was keen to make Forlán his latest striking addition, with Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole both set to depart.

Forlán’s mind was quickly made up. Abandoning his move to the North East, he rerouted to Manchester, eager to join the reigning champions.

Speaking about the move to Manchester, the Uruguayan emphasised just how pivotal Sir Alex Ferguson’s role had been.

"In 2002, I was playing for Independiente and knew that Manchester United were interested in me; we had arranged a meeting," Forlan said.

"Then Middlesbrough approached my agent, they wanted to see me before United.

"Sir Alex Ferguson found out about this. One day I got a phone call while I was in the bathroom. My roommate was sleeping on the bed so I was quiet.

"I could understand English from a very early age, but I could barely understand the man on the phone.

"He was speaking really fast with a very strong accent.

"I’d been taught English by people who spoke with very clear accents. I made a great effort to understand and worked out that he wanted me to play for him. ‘We want you,’ he said.

"'It’s not just interest, we want you. You can be a great player for us. Wait for us. You will play for Manchester United’"

For Middlesbrough, Forlán’s snub was a bitter pill to swallow - and while he never quite hit the mark at Old Trafford, his success elsewhere served as a painful reminder of what might have been.

Diego Forlán's magical career in Spain

After a two-and-a-half-year spell at Manchester United, which yielded just 17 goals in 98 appearances, Forlán moved on to Villarreal, where he would truly begin to make a name for himself.

Figures of 59 goals in 127 games really cemented himself in the framework of La Liga, but it was at Atlético Madrid where his biggest impression came.

In the Spanish capital, the striker netted 96 goals in 198 appearances, with his standout season coming in 2008–09, when he registered an astonishing 32 goals and ten assists in just 33 league matches.

Following that, his career wound down with spells at clubs across the globe, including in Japan, India, and a return to Uruguay.

For Boro supporters of a certain age, watching his career unfold from afar would have been a source of great jealousy. Had he ended up at the Riverside, it might have been the perfect fit, and all those goals he scored elsewhere could well have been seen on Teesside.