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Legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson signed many great players at Manchester United. That said, not all of them lived up to expectations at Old Trafford.
Players like Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney, and Rio Ferdinand arrived with big reputations and went on to reach a whole new level with the Red Devils. Others, however, never quite performed as well as they had done in the past for former clubs.
Michael Owen is a good example of this. Having won the Ballon d'Or as a youngster at Liverpool, before earning a move to Real Madrid, he later returned to England but struggled to find his best form at the likes of Newcastle United, Man United and then Stoke City.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Owen Hargreaves at Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson and Owen Hargreaves at Manchester United
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By his own admission, the iconic English striker endured an 'embarrassing' time at Old Trafford. He did win the Premier League in 2010/11 as well as the League Cup in 2009/10, but fitness issues meant he was only a bit-part player.
Speaking in 2025 about how his body let him down while playing for Man Utd, Owen explained: “I sort of split my career into two. Almost Liverpool and maybe Madrid. And then afterwards, because I just wasn't the same. Not that I didn't like it. I loved it at United. I love you and the lads and whatever.
Owen's Lasting Relationship With Ferguson Explained
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He scored 17 goals in 52 games at Old Trafford, which pales in comparison to the 158 he bagged in 297 outings for Liverpool. Despite his struggles, though, Owen has revealed that he still holds a great relationship with Ferguson, who calls for a chat nearly every weekend.
Their bond, however, relates more closely to horse racing, even if football does inevitably come up. In September 2026, the former England striker revealed to The Telegraph that several famous names own horses at his Manor House Stables Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Steve McManaman, Ian Wright, Paul Scholes, Anthony Gordon, and Owen Hargreaves, as well as darts stars Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting, were all mentioned.
He also named Ferguson on that list: "Everyone knows how much he loves horse racing.” He then added:
It's not the first time Owen has discussed his relationship with his former boss. After Ferguson was taken to hospital before the Manchester United vs Liverpool clash in May, the ex-striker claimed they'd spoken just that morning and insisted: "I speak to him regularly, and he sounded absolutely brilliant, sharp as a tack as normal."
Thankfullly, the 84-year-old has been well enoughjh to watch Man Utd in person this season, although was was spotted wearing a protective boot as he arrived at Old Trafford to watch the Premier League win over Ipswich Town.
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