Lucas Moura and the players that rejected Man United: Shearer, Ronaldinho, James Bond and more

Despite Lucas Moura's transfer to Manchester United this summer looking all but inevitable, the Brazilian instead opted to make the switch to big-money PSG at the last minute. It isn't the first time United have lost out on a player that looked a dead-cert to move to Old Trafford, but how did the others fare, and did their decision work out for the best? talkSPORT investigate...

Name: Xavi Hernandez
Club: FC Barcelona
Final destination: Barcelona

It's hard to believe, but there was a time when Xavi Hernandez was vastly undervalued at FC Barcelona. Originally touted as the successor to Pep Guardiola for the Catalans, injury worries and pressure from supporters meant that the midfielder was often overshadowed by star players like Ronaldinho and Deco. In the summer of 2008 it all became too much for Xavi and he seriously considered leaving the Nou Camp for pastures new. The midfielder later confirmed that Manchester United made him an offer which he came close to accepting. Any prospect of Scholes and Xavi in the same midfield was put to bed when Guardiola took over the hot seat at the Barca first team, however, and after convincing Hernandez to stay, Barca went on to win an historic treble the following season. Definitely one that worked out well for the player, but United fans will wonder what could have been.

Name: Paul Gascoigne
From: Newcastle
Final destination: Tottenham Hotspur

In 1988, 21-year-old Paul Gascoigne was the finest English talent in a generation and, after starring for childhood club Newcastle, a big move was on the cards. Sir Alex Ferguson was intent on securing Gazza's signature and, after the player and the Scot reached a verbal agreement, Fergie went off on holiday confident that he'd got his man. While Ferguson was away in Malta, Tottenham managed to persuade Gascoigne that a move to North London was more worth his while, with Spurs helping to sway him by buying his parents a house. A then British record fee of £2m was offered to Newcastle and the deal was done. Years later the midfielder begged the Scot for a second chance at United, but the Red Devils boss was stubborn. Gascoigne isn't ashamed to admit it was a mistake.

Name: Ronaldinho
From: PSG
Final destination: Barcelona
At his peak he was the best player on the planet, but before signing for Barcelona, few clubs knew just how brilliant PSG's Ronaldinho could truly be. At the French capital he showed promising signs, but as he was unable to frequently test himself against top-quality opposition, no club could be sure of just how well he would cope at one of the premier teams in Europe. Manchester United were prepared to take the gamble, with PSG sources at the time saying that Ronnie was "99.9 per cent sure" to go to Old Trafford. Barcelona outbid United at the last minute, however, using then Vice President Sandro Rosell's contacts at Nike as leverage, owing to Rosell's time as an executive with the company in Brazil. The Brazilian was an important first step in a new era of success for Barcelona, helping them to two league titles and ending a 14-year wait for their second ever Champions League.

Name: Sean Connery
From: East Fife
Final destination: Her Majesty's Secret Service

We're not making this up. In his youth, James Bond himself was a keen footballer, playing for junior side Bonnyrigg Rose in Scotland. Connery was then offered a trial with East Fife, going on tour with the Scots in the South Pacific. In one of East Fife's ties, a certain Matt Busby happened to be one of the on-lookers, with the Red Devils boss scouting for new talent to bring back to England. Connery claims that Busby was impressed with his physicality, offering him a contract worth £25 a week after the game finished. Though he was tempted to accept, Mr Bond opted against the move due to the short career span of a footballer (in those days First Division players didn't earn anything like the huge sums paid out today) later saying it was one of his "more intelligent" decisions. The Manchester United shop never could sell those 'Bond 007' replica shirts in the end...

Name: Alan Shearer
From: Southampton
Final destination: Blackburn Rovers

The saga of the Premier League's greatest ever goalscorer and his flirtation with Manchester United is well known, with Alan Shearer one of the few players to snub Fergie on at least two occasions. The first was when Shearer burst on to the scene as a young striker at Southampton, with the number nine opting to move to then big-spenders Blackburn in a deal worth £3.6 million in 1992. Shearer claims that United spent too long pondering the move and that Blackburn convinced him by coughing up the money in a matter of days. It looked like he'd made the wrong move when United won back-to-back titles in 1993 and 1994, but Shearer was vindicated when he fired Rovers to Premier League glory in 1995. When he decided to leave Ewood Park in 1996, Fergie again tried to tempt the striker to Old Trafford, but he instead opted to fulfil a childhood dream by playing for boyhood club Newcastle, albeit at a world record cost of £15m. While Shearer failed to claim any medals during his time on Tyneside, he became the club's record goal scorer and a legend to boot, so he won't lose any sleep over his decision.

Which of these stars was the biggest loss for United? Could Ronaldinho have shone at Old Trafford, or would Shearer have succeeded just as much in a red shirt? Comment below...