Which player would you like to have seen at United?

There’s no doubt each member of the trio would have been fantastic additions to the Manchester United squad in their prime, with Batistuta regularly rumoured with a move even before he scored a wondergoal for Fiorentina at the Theatre of Dreams in 2000.

Carlos was a thorn in our side with Real Madrid and one of the world’s great left-backs during the 1990s and 2000s and, while Totti was a loyal Roma man for an astonishing 25 years, he’d have been loved by the crowd here in Manchester.

So, on that theme, which players would our writers have loved to see play for United over the years?

Let’s start with a man who’s been in the news this week…

KARIM BENZEMA

Even though the centre-forward showcased his enormous potential with his performances against United in the 2007/08 Champions League, it would have been hard to predict just how brilliant a striker he would become. He scored in the 1-1 draw at the Stade Gerland and said after a 1-0 loss at Old Trafford: “I’ve still got a lot of work to do if I want to play at the top level.” However, Sir Alex had already seen enough and tried to buy him, only to later reveal the £42 million asking price was too steep, despite bidding up to £35 million. Instead, the France international went to Real Madrid, where he won five Champions League titles, before joining Al-Ittihad after 14 years of magnificent service.

Adam Marshall

GARETH BALE

It’s no secret that Bale’s rapid ascent to becoming one of the Premier League’s standout performers had caught Sir Alex Ferguson’s eye, prior to our legendary manager’s retirement in 2013. United were heavily linked with the ex-Tottenham winger that summer before his world-record transfer to Real Madrid, and while an Old Trafford move didn’t happen on that occasion, it felt like he was regularly rumoured to be joining the Reds in end-of-season windows that followed. I remember hoping we’d get a deal done particularly in 2018, after his extraordinary Champions League final cameo off the bench against Liverpool, when he suggested in a post-match interview that he needed to play more often after being asked about a potential return to England. The rumours were swirling again at that time, but the Welshman would only end up coming back to these shores for a loan spell with former club Spurs in 2020/21, ahead of announcing his retirement earlier this year.

Mikey Partington

RONALDINHO

I was heartbroken by Ronaldinho in consecutive years, as the Brazilian helped eliminate England on the way to World Cup glory in 2002, before spurning a move to United in favour of Barcelona 12 months later. With the press reporting that the transfer from Paris Saint-Germain was imminent, there were rumours that the once-in-a-generation attacker had even agreed a squad number – would it be the no.7 shirt, to fill the considerable void left by David Beckham, who had recently joined Real Madrid? Alas, the then-23-year-old would be unveiled at the Nou Camp, rather than Old Trafford, and Sir Alex Ferguson had to turn to a different Ronny for his attacking plans. Things turned out well for both sides in the end – Cristiano Ronaldo’s exploits in Manchester need no introduction, while Ronaldinho became a Champions League winner and the world’s best player at his new club. But part of me still wonders just how good it would have been to see his sensational samba skills up close.

Sam Carney

WESLEY SNEIJDER

Sneijder was linked with United for what felt like every single transfer window for a number of years, with the midfield maestro continually displaying his talents on the global stage. He was a key cog in the Netherlands' side that reached the 2010 World Cup final, and I remember watching him and being in awe of his calmness and vision. Had he come to United, he would undoubtedly have been a hit, with Sneijder also possessing a keen eye for goal. There were a couple of summers, too, where the Dutchman was seemingly destined to end up at Old Trafford, but it wasn't to be in the end. Having shown his talent for the likes of Inter Milan and Real Madrid, there is no doubt in my mind that Sneijder could have done great things in Manchester.

Joe Nelson

PAUL GASCOIGNE

Sir Alex Ferguson famously knocked Liverpool off their perch within seven years of his November 1986 appointment at Old Trafford - but our legendary manager might have got there even sooner had he completed the signing of England's mercurial midfielder Paul Gascoigne in the summer of 1988. "Sign this boy, get on the phone to him on Monday," the boss reportedly told Martin Edwards, United's chairman at the time. But Gazza had already had his head turned by Tottenham Hotspur and instead of trading Tyneside for Old Trafford, the creative powerhouse moved from the North East to North London. Our boss still bought well in that period from 1987 to 1990, adding the likes of Steve Bruce, Lee Sharpe, Mark Hughes, Mike Phelan, Neil Webb, Gary Pallister, Paul Ince and Denis Irwin to the Reds' ranks. But the addition of one more British or Irish player, arguably the most naturally gifted of them all, would surely have completed United's title-winning jigsaw well before May 1993. On the flip side, the regret felt at missing out on Gazza was eventually eradicated by the arrival of another brilliant maverick, Eric Cantona, four years later. C'est la vie.

Adam Bostock