‘You Should Have Signed Me’

Key Takeaways

  • Ferguson was involved in an amusing interaction with Wright when the Gunners’ legend claimed Fergie should’ve signed him.
  • Wright’s goalscoring record at Arsenal was impressive, with 128 league goals in 221 games over seven years.
  • Had Wright joined Manchester United, it might have prevented one of the most pivotal deals in the club’s history.



When it comes to the debate over the Premier League’s greatest forwards, Arsenal legend Ian Wright probably doesn’t get enough respect. Sometimes it’s easy to forget just how good he was during the early-to-mid-1990s, where he established himself as one of the country’s best ever strikers.

A consistent scorer for the Gunners, Wright netted an impressive 128 league goals in 221 games during his seven-year spell at Highbury. He was also a true entertainer and brought so much joy to the club’s supporters. Scoring goals and winning matches for Arsenal clearly meant the world to him.

Wright’s journey from non-league football to the Premier League makes his success story all the more remarkable, with the peak of it being that he went on to play for one of the country’s biggest powerhouses. But Arsenal won’t have been the only ones interested in him.


One manager who must have been sorely tempted to sign Wright in the early-90s – especially after the livewire forward scored twice against his Manchester United team in the 1990 FA Cup final – is Sir Alex Ferguson. However, the legendary Scot provided a moment of hilarity when he was told by Wright he should’ve snapped him up.

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The pair caught up prior to the 2016 FA Cup final

Wright

The moment in question occurred prior to the 2016 FA Cup final, which featured a repeat of the iconic 1990 decider between United and Crystal Palace. Goals from Juan Mata and a stunning extra-time volley by substitute Jesse Lingard secured a memorable Wembley win for Louis van Gaal’s side. However, before kick-off, a heartwarming and humorous exchange took place between Wright and Ferguson.


The former Arsenal goal machine was working as a pundit for TNT Sports (then known as BT Sport), alongside Old Trafford legends Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes. They were greeted on camera by the iconic gaffer, who still stands as one of, if not the greatest managers of all-time.

As the pair shook hands, the ever-cheeky Wright quipped to Sir Alex that he should have signed him when he was in his prime. A taken-aback Ferguson responded in a rather high-pitched tone, stating that the forward was “too f***ing dear,” a remark that was captured by live microphones, sending the pundits into fits of laughter. Watch the funny clip below:


Wright made the move to United’s future title rivals Arsenal in 1991 for what was then a club-record fee of £2.5 million. Up until that point, the Red Devils had only spent up to £2.3 million bringing Gary Pallister to the club.

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Ian Wright in action for Arsenal

While it’ll never be known for certain, had Wright made the move to the Theatre of Dreams in 1991, then it’s likely that Ferguson’s men would have beaten Leeds to the old First Division title that season. The Red Devils finished second in the table, four points behind the eventual champions, but the forward could have made all the difference.


The prolific striker beat Tottenham’s Gary Lineker to the Golden Boot that season, scoring 29 goals for the Gunners. United’s top scorer that campaign was Brian McClair, who finished with 11 fewer goals to his name.

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However, if United did pull off the move, there’s every chance they wouldn’t have then gone for Eric Cantona in 1992. Ferguson signed the enigmatic Frenchman from Leeds for just £1.2 million in November that year, and the iconic forward went on to establish his status as one of the most impactful signings in the club’s history, guiding them to several domestic honours before his early retirement at the age of 30.

In hindsight, nobody could suggest that Ferguson made the wrong signing, given that Cantona became an irreplaceable and legendary figure at Old Trafford. In fact, the only time the Red Devils didn’t lift the Premier League title during the famous number seven’s time at the club was the 1994-95 season – the same season Cantona was suspended after attacking a fan.


All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 15/10/2024.

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