In football, the attacking players tend to get most of the glory. After all, only two defenders Franz Beckenbauer and Fabio Cannavaro) and one goalkeeper (Lev Yashin) have ever won the Ballon d’Or. Sir Alex Ferguson, however, seemed to have a great appreciation for one iconic defender.

Having won a record number of 13 Premier League titles during his time as Manchester United manager, and two Champions Leagues as well, the Scottish coach would have known better than most that any successful team must rely on a sturdy backline. Perhaps this explains why he held one man in such high regard.

Indeed, Ferguson once went on record as saying that he preferred a certain centre-back over the likes of Lionel Messi, Kaka and Zinedine Zidane.

Ferguson Loved ‘Wonderful’ Italian Defender

For many, Paolo Maldini is regarded as one of the best defenders in football history. He spent his entire career with AC Milan, lifting three Champions Leagues and a whopping seven Serie A titles. He also played 126 times for Italy, as he marshalled his nation’s defence for a number of years.

Ferguson was a huge fan of the centre-back. As quoted by TalkSport, he even said he preferred Maldini over some of the most exciting footballers of the 21st century:

Ferguson Wanted Maldini at Man Utd

It’s not the only time Ferguson has spoken fondly about Maldini either. Indeed, he once revealed he tried to sign the player, only to get a rather strong rebuttal from the player’s father Cesare (who also played for AC Milan, playing 412 times for the Italian club).

Ferguson recalled: “I once asked Maldini’s father Cesare about him. He looked at me as if I was a madman and that response was enough to understand that the answer would be no.”

He also rated fellow Italians Gianfranco Zola and Francesco Totti, remarking: “I also loved Gianfranco Zola a lot. He always played with a smile and with the right sporting spirit,” before then adding:

“Totti is the symbol of Roma, he’d never want to leave the club just like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes at United. Totti needs to be kept at a certain level for Roma, just as I do at United. I may not let Giggs play every week but he’s always there. It could be the same for Totti.”

Unfortunately for Ferguson, Italian’s moving to the Premier League has never been a really popular pipeline. In fact, only six men from that country have won the competition: Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Federico Chiesa (Liverpool), Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Federico Macheda (Manchester United), Carlo Cudicini (Chelsea), and Massimo Taibi (Manchester United) – with most of them only playing a bit-part role.

Had Maldini ended up at Man Utd, though, it’s hard to imagine him achieving anything other than great success under Ferguson.

Aston Villa have reportedly held talks with Real Madrid star Endrick’s entourage over possibly bringing the Brazilian to the Premier League.

Unai Emery’s squad has been rebuilding following the departures of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and Youri Tielemans to Manchester United. The Villans raised £152 million from their sales and have since swooped for Johan Mazambi and Joao Gomes as replacements.

With a return to the Champions League on the horizon, Emery will want to ensure he has a strong enough squad to compete on all fronts. A new attacker is on the agenda and Villa could pull off one of the biggest signings in the club’s history.

Aston Villa in Endrick Loan Talks

Endrick’s future at Madrid is in doubt, having failed to earn the desired game time at the Estadio Bernabeu. He joined the Spanish giants from Palmeiras in the summer of 2024, but he has found first-team opportunities hard to come by.

According to TEAMtalk, the Brazilian starlet’s representatives have ‘sounded out a host of Premier League clubs over a possible move.’ One of them is Villa, and a potential loan deal is a possibility, and this is the La Liga club’s preference.

Endrick similarly spent the second half of last season on loan at Lyon in Ligue 1 and got his career back on track. He caught the eye with excellent performances but the French outfit didn’t have an option to buy the player.

Villa aren’t the only ones who are thought to be open to signing the 20-year-old on loan rather than permanently. Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham are also prepared to bring him to the English top-flight temporarily.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are more inclined to sign the player on loan with an option to buy. A move to Villa Park could appeal given he’ll be given the chance to be a major player in Emery’s side competing in the Champions League.

Endrick looked set to be a superstar when he joined Madrid under former manager Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian gave a glowing verdict:

Madrid president Florentino Perez is still a huge fan of the Selecao star and, as such, doesn’t want to give up on him. That could lead to another loan being sanctioned and giving the youngster the desired minutes.

Loan Could Be Ideal For Villa and Endrick

REUTERS/Mike Segar

Villa have found success in the loan market in the past and that includes back in the 2024-25 campaign when they signed Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio. They could use those two players’ success at Villa Park as examples when presenting their project to Endrick.

Despite his struggles in the Spanish capital, he remains one of world football’s most promising talents. His versatility could be of huge benefit to Emery as he can play up front and out wide.

Aston Villa transfer targets

Emery has tasked himself with reviving Alejandro Garnacho’s career after signing the Argentine winger on loan from Chelsea with a view to a permanent deal. While Endrick hasn’t stumbled quite as much as the former United star, he clearly needs to be handled carefully at this stage of his career and the Villans boss is the man for the job.