In football there are stories that stay alive for many years because they are connected to rivalry pride and destiny and one of those stories is about Sir Alex Ferguson and two players who later became Manchester City legends but could have played for Manchester United instead Sir Alex Ferguson the legendary former Manchester United manager who dominated English football for more than two decades once had strong interest in Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany two men who would later become symbols of City’s rise and two men who caused him serious pain during the final years of his reign at Old Trafford
Ferguson was never afraid to speak honestly about great players even if they played for rival clubs he respected talent he admired quality and he understood what it took to win trophies during his time at Manchester United he built team after team full of winners he lifted thirteen Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies and he created a culture of dominance but even the greatest managers sometimes look at players and think what if what if that player had played for me what if history had changed
In 2021 Ferguson spoke during a question and answer session and he was asked about players he wished he had managed during his career he mentioned several names including Harry Kane Dele Alli and Heung Min Son but one name stood out the most Sergio Aguero the same Sergio Aguero who delivered one of the most painful moments in Manchester United history the same Sergio Aguero whose goal broke United hearts and changed the balance of power in Manchester
Aguero joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for around thirty eight million pounds and from the beginning he showed he was special he was quick sharp intelligent and deadly inside the box he did not need many chances he only needed one touch one moment and he would punish defenders Ferguson quickly understood that Aguero was a serious threat and even though he managed the biggest rival he admitted that Aguero was a terrific striker with exceptional goalscoring ability he said top teams always produce players who stand out and Aguero was clearly one of them
The pain started in October 2011 when Manchester City travelled to Old Trafford and destroyed Manchester United six one it was humiliation on a massive scale United were embarrassed at home and Aguero was among the players who tormented them he scored he celebrated and he left Ferguson furious that day signaled something was changing in Manchester City were no longer just neighbours they were challengers
But the real heartbreak came at the end of that season the 2011 12 Premier League campaign turned into one of the most dramatic title races ever seen Manchester United and Manchester City were fighting for the crown and everything came down to the final day United did their job they defeated Sunderland and Ferguson believed the trophy was returning to Old Trafford meanwhile City were losing to QPR and time was running out United players were celebrating inside the stadium thinking it was over
Then chaos happened City equalised deep into stoppage time and seconds later the ball fell to Aguero inside the box he controlled it calmly and smashed it into the net that goal gave City the title on goal difference the famous commentary of Aguerooooo became part of football history Ferguson walked away knowing the trophy had slipped from his hands in the cruelest way possible that single strike changed the narrative of English football and made Aguero immortal at the Etihad Stadium
Ferguson later admitted his admiration for Aguero despite the damage he caused and that shows the character of the Scottish manager he respected greatness even when it hurt him but Aguero was not the only Manchester City legend Ferguson once considered signing
Years earlier Ferguson had his eye on a young Belgian defender called Vincent Kompany Kompany was coming through at Anderlecht and he was already showing leadership qualities strength intelligence and composure Ferguson even watched him play in a Champions League match at Celtic Park when he was just seventeen years old at the time United were dealing with defensive issues Rio Ferdinand was serving a long suspension and Ferguson was exploring options to strengthen his back line Kompany was identified as a possible future replacement
However football is unpredictable and on the night Ferguson watched him Kompany did not have his best performance years later Kompany joked that maybe he was lucky to play poorly because if he had impressed Ferguson perhaps he would have ended up at Manchester United instead of Manchester City United eventually signed other defenders including Gabriel Heinze and Gerard Pique while Kompany remained at Anderlecht before moving to Hamburg in Germany
In 2008 Manchester City signed Kompany for just six million pounds a bargain fee that would later look like one of the smartest deals in Premier League history Kompany developed into the heart of the City defence he became captain he became leader and he became a symbol of resilience and ambition he won twelve major trophies with City and made three hundred and sixty appearances he was strong in the air fearless in big games and calm under pressure
During that same dramatic 2011 12 season Kompany scored a crucial header against Manchester United in a top of the table clash at the Etihad that goal secured a one nil victory and gave City belief that they could win the title once again Ferguson watched a player he once admired celebrate at the expense of his team and that moment pushed City closer to glory
Kompany and Aguero both became icons of the blue side of Manchester their contributions shaped a new era and both players now have statues outside the Etihad Stadium standing proudly as reminders of what they achieved alongside another City great David Silva their legacy is permanent their impact undeniable and their connection to Ferguson’s missed opportunities impossible to ignore
Football history is full of what if scenarios what if Ferguson had signed Kompany as a teenager what if Aguero had joined Manchester United instead of Manchester City would City have risen so quickly would United have remained dominant longer those questions will never have answers but they show how small decisions can shape decades
Ferguson retired in 2013 after winning the Premier League one final time but by then Manchester City were firmly established as a powerhouse Kompany had lifted multiple trophies Aguero had broken scoring records and the rivalry between the two clubs had reached new heights the power balance in Manchester had shifted and the players Ferguson once admired were central to that transformation
After leaving City Kompany returned to Anderlecht as player manager and later managed Burnley in the Premier League he continued to show leadership from the touchline just as he did on the pitch and he even went on to win the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich proving his football intelligence extended beyond his playing career Aguero meanwhile briefly joined Barcelona before heart problems forced him to retire early ending a brilliant career but his legend in Manchester remains untouchable
For Manchester United supporters these stories are painful reminders of how close things can be for Manchester City supporters they are tales of destiny and pride and for neutral fans they are proof that football is decided by moments by performances and by choices Ferguson’s admiration for Aguero and Kompany does not change history but it adds a fascinating layer to one of English football’s greatest rivalries
Sir Alex Ferguson built an empire but even empires experience moments of regret maybe he never publicly admitted regret but deep down he must have wondered what might have happened if those two players had worn red instead of blue if Aguero had scored goals for United instead of against them if Kompany had marshalled United’s defence instead of leading City to glory football can turn on a single performance a single decision a single second and in this case those seconds belonged to Aguero and Kompany
Their stories are forever linked with Ferguson not because they played for him but because they did not because they became symbols of City’s rise and because they played key roles in some of the most dramatic moments in Premier League history Ferguson respected them admired them and perhaps wished at some point that fate had been different but football does not rewrite itself and destiny chose the blue side of Manchester leaving Sir Alex Ferguson to watch two future legends build their legacy just across the city and change English football forever
