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Andy Cole: Manchester United Made A Mistake By Not Signing Liverpool's Fernando Torres
Red Devils' striking legend feels his old club missed a trick...
19-Nov-2009 3:17:53 PM
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made one of his few mistakes in not snapping up striker Fernando Torres, according to former marksman Andy Cole.
United were apparently looking at Torres with a view to signing him but decided to pass on the player who, of course, has gone on to succeed at Liverpool.
"I know Manchester United watched him closely, but decided that given the likely fee he wouldn't be good enough to play at Old Trafford," Cole told The Manchester Evening News.
"United scouts judged him receiving the ball in all different positions and watched his reactions. We all make mistakes and not signing Torres was one because I've spoke to several of the current United players about him and they all say the same thing: `Top, top player.'
"Torres stunned me when he arrived from Atletico Madrid because he settled so quickly. The Premier League is totally different to the Primera Liga, but you wouldn't know it watching Torres.
"He reminds me of that great Liverpool goal-scorer Ian Rush. He seems to drift in and out of games while always remaining a threat. At times, Torres can make out he's almost uninterested, and then tunes in, just like that, and he's away with the ball with fantastic pace.
"Torres's game isn't just about the box, but he's most dangerous there because his close control allows him to take possession in confined areas. He can transfer the ball from foot to foot to create space to get in a shot."
Cole does think another player with Merseyside connections was a superb acquisition, though.
"Wayne Rooney is a great forward. He can play centre-forward, right and left wing," he added.
"He would probably play in net and do well - he actually plays in net a lot during training at Carrington.
"Rooney's work ethic is faultless, he plays for the team and he's got everything. When United look at young new players, they search for seven or eight key attributes.
"They'll usually sign a player if they have six. When they first saw Rooney at Everton they privately admitted that he had everything.
"United fans call him `the white Pele.' He's not at Pele's level, but Rooney is thriving in Ronaldo's absence, has started the season really well and is nudging towards the level of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo.
"Rooney can change a game and he's Manchester United and England's most important player.''
Zack Wilson
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