'Go and get a haircut!' - Man Utd flop Bebe recalls first meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson in reflection of 'regretful' Red Devils spell

Bebe never truly established himself at United and, after leaving, had permanent moves to Benfica, Eibar and Rayo Vallecano amongst a series of loans across Spain, Portugal and Turkey. He switched national allegiance from Portugal to Cape Verde and shone at the African Cup of Nations. Now currently playing for UD Ibiza, Bebe has reflected on a disappointing career that once promised so much - including revealing to Sport Bible the extent of his early conversations with the legendary United manager.

Bebe revealed: "I remember meeting Sir Alex Ferguson for the first time. He came into the dressing room and the first words he said to me were, ‘I am going to take care of you' and 'go and get a haircut.’ I had long hair at the time, so I shaved it off for the second day of training.

"I learned a lot from him. I always had to have a translator, so he could explain things to me, but we shared a close relationship. I felt he had a lot of affection towards me. He looked out for me, and that meant a lot.

"I was in a completely new country and he went above and beyond. I lived in his apartment in Wilmslow for the first year, so I was a little closer to training. He joked with me, and I joked with him. The truth is, he is a person I care a lot about. I would love to see him again and have a chat, like old times."

Bebe made just seven appearances for the Red Devils, scoring two goals, before departing for the Portuguese capital via Benfica. He later described leaving the club as the "best moment of his life". He enjoyed best spell at Rayo Vallecano where he made 187 appearances, scoring 24 goals and registering 17 assists.

Bebe recently joined Ibiza in Primera Federacion as he looks to wind down his career in the lower Spanish divisions; they take on Marbella next weekend. As for Manchester United, they host Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. They are looking to do the double over their local rivals after their shock 2-1 win away at the Etihad in December.