In August 2004, United splashed over £30million to beat Newcastle United to the signing of teenage Everton striker Wayne Rooney.
Across the 13 years that followed, Rooney became one of United’s greatest-ever players and all-time leading goalscorer, netting 253 times in 559 appearances.
He also achieved the feat for England, scoring 53 goals in 120 caps before current captain Harry Kane later surpassed his tally.
Rooney was one of the faces of United’s era of domination under Sir Alex Ferguson and a huge character the dressing room has missed since his 2017 exit.
But while Potter would be a divisive appointment among the fanbase, he would go a long way to winning supporters over by luring Evan Ferguson to Old Trafford.
Ferguson, 19, is a year older than Rooney was when he landed in M16 but shares the same status as one of the most exciting teenage talents in Europe.
After joining Brighton from Bohemians in his homeland, Ireland, in 2021, Ferguson flourished in the club’s youth ranks before Potter handed him his senior debut in August of that year.
Last month, The Sun reported that United were lining up Potter to replace Ten Hag if they decided to part ways with the Dutchman at the dawn of their cultural reset.
It was even claimed that Ratcliffe had met the former Brighton and Chelsea boss after identifying him as his preferred candidate.
And Potter has previously made no secret of how highly he rates Ferguson, who has scored 34 goals and provided nine assists in 94 games for Brighton’s first team and U23s.
In January 2022, Potter told Sussex Live: “I’ve been really impressed with him in training, he’s got really good movement.
“You can see his qualities and his goals. They’re not by accident, that’s for sure. He knows where to be in the box and around the defenders.
“The more he is with us, the better he will get. The guys in the academy have done a fantastic job with him. Now, it’s about the next stage.
“We need to take it at the right pace for him, but while he’s in the first team, it’s a great experience for him.”
Rasmus Hojlund will need competition once Anthony Martial’s contract expires in June. With or without Potter at the helm, Ferguson represents an exciting option.
