Sir Alex Ferguson vs John Murtough! Legendary Man Utd manager never warmed to club's football director with pair clashing while trying to convince Jude Bellingham to complete Old Trafford transfer

According to The Athletic, in March 2020, a reported fallout between Ferguson and Manchester United's football director, Murtough, unfolded during Bellingham's visit to the club's Carrington training complex. Bellingham, then 16 was still playing for Birmingham City and was the subject of interest from several clubs across Europe including the Red Devils.

United's manager at the time, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, wanted to secure Bellingham's signing and had chalked out a strategic plan that included an analytical presentation showcasing the player's pathway to the first team. To make a lasting impression, Solskjaer sought Ferguson's involvement. However, Murtough disagreed with the approach and limited Ferguson's interaction to a brief greeting which infuriated the legendary manager. The fallout escalated as Ferguson expressed his discontent directly to Murtough on a later date, but the director insisted it was merely a misunderstanding.

Despite the efforts, Bellingham opted for a move to Borussia Dortmund in a £25 million ($32m) deal in July 2020 before moving on to Real Madrid earlier this year.

It is reported that this incident fuelled the longstanding distrust between Ferguson and Murtough, with the latter's influence rising. Murtough's strained relations extended to clashes with Nicky Butt, leading to a heated confrontation in the Carrington canteen over accusations of a 'secret plot' to move Butt from his role as head of first-team development. Meanwhile, Bellingham is shining at the Santiago Bernabeu with 17 goals in 21 matches for Real Madrid.