Sir Alex Ferguson once admitted he had regrets over selling three former Manchester United stars who he felt could have made a name for themselves at Old Trafford. The legendary Scot usually got the best out of his players, but the trio were unable to fulfil their potential for varying reasons.
Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are three of United's all-time greats whom Ferguson helped develop into world-class superstars. He usually gave his players time to adapt and backed them even through difficult periods.
Just ask Juan Sebastian Veron, whom Ferguson defended at all costs before eventually bidding farewell to the Argentine. But Veron wasn't one of the three former United players he wished he'd have had more time coaching.
Diego Forlan
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South America was a region the Red Devils' scouting team utilised extensively during Ferguson's reign, achieving considerable success. The signing of Javier Hernandez from Mexican outfit Chivas in 2010 proved to be a masterstroke, as "Chicarito" became the perfect impact substitute.
United thought they had unearthed another gem in Diego Forlan in January 2002, bringing the Uruguayan frontman to Old Trafford in a £6.9m deal. He'd caught then-head scout and Sir Alex's brother Martin Ferguson's eye in his homeland, and the club beat Middlesbrough for his signature.
Forlan had bagged 37 goals in 86 games at Independiente but was unable to replicate such goalscoring prowess. He was forced to play a bit-part role with Ruud van Nistelrooy leading the line and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still proving to be an asset off the bench.
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Ferguson touched on Forlan's struggles (via Manchester Evening News):
"Ruud wanted to be the number one finisher, that was his nature. Diego Forlan didn’t register on his radar at all, so when you put the two of them out there, there was zero chemistry."
Forlan made 98 appearances for United, managing 17 goals and eight assists, failing to displace Van Nistelrooy as Ferguson's lead man. The Scot further explained:
"Diego was better with a partner. But he scored some priceless goals. He was a good player and a terrific pro."
Forlan spent two-and-a-half years with the Red Devils but couldn't cut it, and later suggested that a falling out with Ferguson over a pair of studs he wore led to the club pulling the plug. But his former manager admitted he felt he was sold too easily and that he could have become a fan favourite:
"The boy had other issues.. his sister’s health in Spain. He always wanted to get to Spain at some point. The only criticism of ourselves was that we sold him too cheaply. He could have been a hero. He was a great lad and a magnificent professional."
Forlan was clinical in La Liga after joining Villarreal in August 2004 for a "fraction of the fee" they had paid for his services. He became a two-time European Golden Boot winner, first with the Yellow Submarine and then at Atletico Madrid.
The former 112-cap Uruguay international bagged the La Liga Golden Boot on two occasions while winning the Europa League in 2010. He is one of the greatest strikers in Spanish football history who more than proved his worth at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Giuseppe Rossi
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Another former Villarreal frontman who many had tipped to replace Van Nistelrooy or Rooney was Giuseppe Rossi. The American-born Italian striker joined United's youth system from Parma as a 17-year-old with the world seemingly at his feet.
Ferguson described Rossi as a "natural goalscorer" and "the future of the club", and he showed signs of this in the Red Devils' reserve team, managing 30 goals in the 2005-06 season with the club's youth side. It seemed as though he'd flourish once he made the step-up to the senior squad, but the opportunity never arose.
Rossi stuttered while out on loan at Newcastle United but was back at his best on loan at Parma with nine goals in 20 games. United attempted to tie him down to a new contract but found a £6.7m offer from Villarreal in July 2007 too hard to refuse.
Rene Meulensteen, Sir Alex's former assistant, once suggested Rossi could have been one of the Premier League's top stars:
"Sometimes big clubs must make painful choices but United paid dearly [for allowing him to leave]. Personally, I would never have let him go because you could see that he was going to be a major star in the Premier League. He would have been the equivalent of David Silva, Samir Nasri and Juan Mata, players who play in the middle of the lines."
Ferguson insisted on a buy-back clause being included, but this was never used as injuries plagued the Italian in post-Old Trafford days. He was sidelined with recurring knee problems, suffering two ACL injuries, but there were some career highlights, including a tally of 82 goals and 25 assists in 192 games for Villarreal.
Gerard Pique
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There is no doubt that Gerard Pique is one of the best Spanish defenders to have ever graced the sport, having been a mainstay in Pep Guardiola's dominant Barcelona team. But many forget the towering centre-back's brief spell at United, where he made just 12 senior appearances.
Pique joined the Reds as a 17-year-old product of Barca's La Masia academy and was viewed as the heir to Nemanja Vidic to partner Rio Ferdinand in defence. But the Serbian's consistency gave him no chance of breaking into Ferguson's XI on a regular basis, and he spent a spell out on loan at Real Zaragoza.
The former 102-cap Spain international returned to Camp Nou in 2008 shortly after United won the Champions League. He quickly became a favourite with the Catalans and featured in both of the La Liga giants' European final victories (2-0 and 3-1) over his former club in 2009 and 2011.
Ferguson hailed Pique after the Blaugrana's 2-0 win in Rome:
"I have always liked the boy. I did expect him to reach this level so quickly. He has fantastic qualities but most importantly, he has a good self-determination about him. He is a winner and a good professional."
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Pique didn't make an impact at Old Trafford but does acknowledge his time working with Ferguson as a crucial period in his career that helped him develop. He finished his career as a World Cup winner and a Barca legend with 616 appearances to his name.