Manchester United have long been known for their ambitious pursuit of top talent, especially now with the acquisition of Christopher Vivell, and the summer of 2012 was no exception.
The club was keen on signing Eden Hazard, the Belgian prodigy who was turning heads at Lille.
At the time, Sir Alex Ferguson was already eyeing the young playmaker, who had become one of Europe’s most sought-after players.
United had agreed on a transfer fee and personal terms with Lille, only for the deal to fall apart at the last hurdle.
The reason? A demand from Hazard’s then-agent, John Bico, for a secret multimillion-pound payment, as per Times Sport.
The terms Bico suggested involved a hefty £1million payment through United’s club accounts, plus millions more via the club’s owners.
United’s chiefs refused to comply, as it would have violated Premier League and UEFA regulations on financial fair play.
The fall-out from this demand ultimately led to United losing out on one of their top targets.
The failure to secure Hazard’s signature would have significant consequences for United, who had hoped to bolster their attacking options with the young star.
Instead, Eden Hazard moved to Chelsea, and just weeks later, the Blues won the Champions League, with Hazard announcing his decision to join the club in a £32million deal.
This was a major setback for United, who had been the frontrunner in the race for his signature.
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Sir Alex Ferguson, who had personally scouted Hazard, was left to settle for Shinji Kagawa as a second-choice signing, a move that didn’t have the same impact.
The story doesn’t end there, though.
The financial scandal surrounding Hazard’s agent Bico would later unfold, with Bico now facing charges for financial crimes, including money laundering and forgery.
This investigation is part of a broader look into the shady dealings involving players like Hazard, as Chelsea were found to have made irregular payments during the Abramovich era.
Bico’s role in this affair raised questions about the behind-the-scenes dealings in top football transfers.
Eden Hazard went on to achieve great success with Chelsea, winning multiple Premier League titles and European trophies, while United’s pursuit of the player remains one of the great ‘what ifs’ in recent club history.
While Chelsea moved on from the Abramovich era, the shadow of the financial dealings continues to hang over some of their high-profile transfers, with the Premier League still investigating past irregularities.
For United, however, the failed Hazard transfer remains a reminder of how close they came to securing one of the world’s top talents.
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