Gossip: Eric's replacement

collapse and complained: "They got cold feet and let the transfer fall through. I am being portrayed everywhere as a money-grabber and that's really not what I'm like."

With the Reds also said to have missed out on Stephane Henchoz, who joined Blackburn instead, Miguel Nadal, Marcel Desailly and Laurent Blanc, who would eventually head to the Theatre of the Dreams in 2001. The only defender to sign that summer was Henning Berg, from Blackburn as work permit issues scuppered a deal to buy Brazilian centre-back Celio Silva from Corinthians.

"It's important that as a club we never stand still," said Ferguson. "Eric Cantona has retired but Teddy Sheringham has come into the club and now we hope Celio Silva will also be joining us. I think that shows progress for the future and I've got the kind of balance to our squad that I think is essential."

In terms of a Cantona replacement, it is possible to argue that Sheringham was assisted by Paul Scholes, who really stepped up to