Manchester United were extremely close to signing Ronaldinho in 2003. Had it not been for David Beckham leaving Old Trafford for Real Madrid, the silky Brazilian would have gone on to join Sir Alex Ferguson's side. Things could have been very different, but the Reds, to their credit, did everything possible to recruit the attacker.
Despite winning the 2002/03 league title, it was evident that change was coming at Old Trafford. It became clear that Beckham, after enjoying a hugely successful period in Manchester - albeit not without controversy - was going to leave the club. The rumours of disagreements between him and Sir Alex Ferguson intensified, and despite his value, both on and off the pitch, a move to Spain started to look increasingly likely for the English golden boy.
As with most high-profile stars, the lure of Barcelona and Real Madrid was too good to turn down. They were, in truth, the only two realistic options for the United man. Los Blancos had started their infamous Galacticos era and had already signed Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo. While it was Madrid who eventually won the race for the England captain, Barcelona had certainly competed.
