Transfer Tales: Laurent Blanc
By the time the deal was struck, the centre-back had reached veteran status, at the age of 35.
After selling the outstanding Jaap Stam, a cornerstone of the Treble-winning team, the manager tried again for the Inter Milan defender. Blanc was offered the chance to end his career at Old Trafford but repeatedly rejected Sir Alex’s advances and opted to stay in Italy.
Not only had the World Cup winner ignored overtures whilst with the Neroazzurri, he had first caught the manager’s attention while starring for Montpellier and playing as a libero against the Reds in the successful European Cup-Winners’ Cup campaign, a whole decade earlier.
After a first failed bid in 1995, the determined boss was not to be denied.
