Ferguson's sarcastic dig serves as warning for Erik ten Hag amid transfer saga

When it comes to signing players, Manchester United usually get their own way.

But this summer, following their most disappointing season in Premier League history, the Red Devils are discovering what it's like to be mere mortals for a change. United may still be one of the biggest clubs in the world, but their failure to secure Champions League football means certain individuals are passing up the opportunity to join Erik ten Hag's revolution.

And one player who is dragging his heels to sign for United, despite his club actively looking to sell him, is a man Ten Hag knows well from his time working with him at Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta currently has the difficult job of balancing the books while also ensuring the club remains competitive next season - in the hope that success will solve all their financial problems.

And in this summer's game of 'should he stay or should he go?' De Jong has been selected to leave Barcelona alongside Dani Alves, Philippe Coutinho and eight others either deemed surplus to requirements or worth a few quid.

Ten Hag is keen to bring De Jong on board at United and has even spoken to his compatriot on the phone, promising him that he'll play a lead role at Old Trafford.

But unless something dramatically changes within the next couple of weeks the transfer simply won't happen, as De Jong is still under contract at Barcelona until 2026 and is not obliged to leave.

Just because Ten Hag can promise De Jong the opportunity to turn out in a United shirt doesn't mean he'll be on board with the plan.

Sir Alex Ferguson didn't have the same struggles as Ten Hag when it came to signing players for Man United, but even he learnt the Red Devils don't always get their own way - with the Scot aiming a sarcastic dig at the player who snubbed him.

Back in 1998, the Scot attempted in vain to sign Patrick Kluivert for the Red Devils, with the Netherlands international turning down United and remaining in Milan for another season before joining Barcelona.

Ferguson was infuriated that United were unable to get their own way and hit out at Kluivert.

"Maybe he doesn't know how big a club Manchester United is," said Ferguson. "I'm surprised he didn't give himself the opportunity to speak to us and now we hear he wants to go to London. If that is where he wants to live, there is nothing we can do about it."

Ferguson was forced to sign his alternative target, Dwight Yorke from Aston Villa, but the player proved to be a big hit at Old Trafford, striking up a strong partnership with Andy Cole.

Ferguson added in his first autobiography: "When Patrick Kluivert, the gifted young Dutch centre forward, was so unimpressed by our approaches in 1998 that he wouldn't even do us the courtesy of talking to us.

"I had no trouble believing that he was likely to be the bigger loser than we were. As I write, there is a growing mountain of persuasive evidence that the Dutchman's indifference indirectly did us a huge favour."