“I was advised to reject Manchester United and join Tottenham – I regret following that advice” – Tottenham Attacking Midfielder James Maddison reveals controversial statement about his move to his current club.

Paul Gascoigne was the most sought-after talent in the transfer market in 1988. However, after finalizing a move to Manchester United and even sending Sir Alex Ferguson on holiday, he experienced a sudden change of heart.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s holiday in Malta was cut short in the summer of 1988 when he received disappointing news. Paul Gascoigne had initially agreed to join Tottenham Hotspur after they met Newcastle United’s £2.2 million valuation, but Manchester United had also expressed interest and had already made a financial offer.

Ferguson, eager to secure the talented player, asked Gascoigne over the phone if he could go on holiday with the assurance that the deal was done. Gascoigne gave a definitive yes, but the transfer was far from finalized and ultimately fell through.

During the late 1980s, Ferguson, in his early years as the manager of Manchester United, was keen to bring in top talent capable of winning matches and titles. He first noticed Gascoigne during a game against Newcastle in 1987.

Playing under manager Willie McFaul, Newcastle had been struggling in the lower half of the First Division, but Gascoigne, then 20 years old, left a lasting impression on Ferguson.

Despite his unconventional diet of Mars Bars and Newcastle Brown Ale, Gascoigne outperformed United’s midfield trio of Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside, and Remi Moses.

Gascoigne’s outstanding performance caught Ferguson’s attention, and he set his sights on the midfielder, who would later be named PFA Young Player of the Year and included in the PFA Team of the Year for that season.

Sir Alex Ferguson was so eager to sign Paul Gascoigne that he personally spoke to the talented midfielder, successfully selling him on the Manchester United project.

After reaching an agreement, Ferguson planned to formalize the deal and enjoy his summer holidays.

Gascoigne, excited about what seemed like a dream move, spent the summer relaxing in his hometown before heading to Manchester.

During this period, he had a meeting with Tottenham’s Chris Waddle, who encouraged him to join Spurs instead of Manchester United.

Waddle highlighted the advantages of being in London, where Gascoigne could avoid constant scrutiny and pressure from Alex Ferguson and senior players.

Despite Waddle’s persuasive efforts, Gascoigne initially insisted on joining Manchester United. However, after Waddle’s conversation, doubts were planted.

Tottenham chairman Irving Scholar then made a series of tempting offers, including a house for Gascoigne’s family, a white BMW for his dad, and even a sunbed for his sister. Eventually, Gascoigne swayed away from Manchester and headed to London.

Furious at Gascoigne’s decision, Ferguson wrote a letter expressing his disappointment, calling the midfielder a ‘silly boy’ for turning down the opportunity to join the biggest club in the world. Despite Ferguson’s frustration, Gascoigne’s outstanding performances in the following seasons, including his memorable role in the 1990 World Cup, brought him widespread acclaim.

However, his career faced setbacks due to injuries, such as tearing knee ligaments during the 1990/1991 FA Cup final with Tottenham.

Paul Gascoigne missed out on regular football for over a year, which, combined with increased public scrutiny, led to off-field issues, including problems with alcohol and drugs.

During his time at Lazio in Italy, Gascoigne became challenging to manage, and he believes that staying at Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson could have kept him on the right path.

Gascoigne expressed regret about not having the opportunity to follow the successful trajectory of other England stars under Ferguson’s guidance.

Gascoigne revealed in a 2009 interview that he called Ferguson from Lazio, asking if he would re-sign him for Manchester United.

However, Ferguson, who was with Eric Cantona at the time, indicated that he would consider it based on Cantona’s decision.

Gascoigne acknowledged that after the way he had treated Ferguson, there was little chance of getting a second opportunity.

Reflecting on the situation, Gascoigne acknowledged the impact of Ferguson’s nurturing approach with young players like Wayne Rooney, the Neville brothers, and David Beckham.

Gascoigne also admitted that it took him six years to mend his relationship with Ferguson. Despite expressing regret, Gascoigne recognized that Ferguson’s decision not to re-sign him was understandable.

Sir Alex Ferguson, in a later interview, mentioned Gascoigne as the one player he regrets missing out on, describing him as “absolutely fantastic” and expressing confidence that Gascoigne would have had a great career if they had signed him.

Ferguson reflected on Gascoigne as a player who could have added significant value to the Manchester United squad of the early 1990s, alongside stars like Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Andy Cole.