Ronaldinho was linked with Manchester United in 2003 only to instead end up at Barcelona

The new Ronaldinho documentary has brought the mercurial Brazilian to new audiences who were too young to see him in his prime. There are plenty of what-ifs from the star’s career but one of the biggest ones – for Premier League fans, at least – is the Manchester United move that never was.

It was at Barcelona where Ronaldinho elevated himself to the level of global superstar. However, he was desperately close to moving to Old Trafford instead when he left Paris Saint-Germain for Barca, as United legend Paul Scholes recalled.

Sir Alex Ferguson was looking for reinforcements after allowing David Beckham to leave for Real Madrid. The manager was heavily involved in discussions but ultimately it didn’t pan out.

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“I remember two or three [signings] that were possibly coming,” Scholes told the BBC’s Savage Social podcast in 2020. “I think the one that stands out is Ronaldinho.

“He was away on pre-season and we were as close as announcing him and giving him a number but I think he ended up changing his mind at the last minute and signing for Barcelona. It’s strange really because we played Barcelona on that pre-season tour.”

Ronaldinho already had a reputation thanks to his form for club and country. After bursting onto the scene in his homeland with Gremio, he took naturally to European football before starring in Brazil’s run to World Cup glory in 2002.

United weren’t worried about his ability to adapt to the Premier League and, indeed, there was a great deal of excitement. This made it all the more heartbreaking when the South American chose Barca instead.

“We were all excited – Ronaldinho, what a player!” Scholes added. “I think he was coming from PSG at the time and we were all going to get to play with him and he’s going to bring something special.

“Almost like what Eric Cantona brought to the team. Then, three days later, we’re playing against him and all trying to kick him because he didn’t sign for us. It was disappointing but I was lucky enough to play with some great players and he’d have just been another unbelievable player I’d had played with, but it just never happened.”

The ‘last minute’ claim from Scholes certainly appears to sync with Ronaldinho’s own recollection. Speaking to FourFourTwo in 2014, he shed more light on the late twist which prompted him to change his mind.

“It almost happened with United,” Ronaldinho said. “It was a matter of 48 hours, but Sandro Rosell had told me way before I got the offer: ‘If I become Barca president, will you come?’ I said yes.

“It was only a matter of details with United when Rosell called to say he was going to win the elections there. And I had promised to him that I’d play for Barca. It was a quick negotiation. I told the English I had chosen Barca.”

Ronaldinho thrived at Camp Nou, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and leading Barcelona to Champions League glory the following year. In normal circumstances, United might have found themselves licking their wounds after missing out on such an all-time great.

That they didn’t was probably down to what happened a few weeks after Ronaldinho went elsewhere. The money they might have spent on him instead went on two other players – Ronaldinho’s international team-mate Kleberson and, more significantly, a young winger by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo.