Four class players Man Utd trialed and rejected including two legends

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Manchester United’s academy has produced some of football’s greatest players throughout history and continues to provide Erik ten Hag with the next generation. But the Red Devils’ alum list could have been even more prestigious had they retained some players in their youth ranks.

It’s no understatement to state that some of the Premier League’s most iconic names could have had different career paths after having trials with United.

Express Sport pinpoints two of them among four class players who could have very easily joined the Old Trafford giants.

Steven Gerrard

You read that right… arguably Liverpool’s greatest-ever legend could have, in fact, etched his legacy in a United shirt if he succeeded at the club.

Steven Gerrard had numerous trials at United when he was a boy looking for his club, playing alongside Wes Brown, an eventual Champions League winner under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Anfield great-turned-Premier League manager has previously admitted that he trialled at both Everton and United before joining Liverpool in 1989.

He went on to make 710 appearances for the Reds, so he isn’t the most popular figure at either Old Trafford or Goodison Park.

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Christian Eriksen

For Christian Eriksen, all roads eventually led to United. Ten Hag signed the 31-year-old on a free transfer last summer.

But he could have joined a lot earlier had he been successful in his trial at United while playing for boyhood club Odense.

Eriksen also trialled at Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid, but made a big move to Ajax in 2008.

He spent most of his career at Tottenham Hotspur before moving to Inter Milan and enjoying a short stint at Brentford last season.

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John Terry

How about this for an alternate reality? Mr Chelsea himself could have actually started his career at United.

Terry retired, like Gerrard, a legend of his club and country, but his career could have been so much different.

When he was 14, his father urged him to join United after undergoing a trial while David Beckham arrived as a trainee.

However, a last-ditch offer from Chelsea turned his head, and the rest is history.

Gabriel Martinelli

In the most recent case, Arsenal ‘starboy’ Gabriel Martinelli was actually in United’s youth ranks from 2015 to 2017.

He trained with the Red Devils for ‘around 15 days’ on four different occasions.

However, despite having four chances to sign him, United opted against the move, and he later joined Arsenal.

He could become a Premier League winner in May.

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