Nicky Butt received Sir Alex Ferguson call and hoped for United return, boss wanted to sign his ex-teammate instead

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has recalled the moment he thought he had a chance of returning to the club.

Manchester United’s ‘Class of 92‘ were the bedrock of a sustained era of success for the Red Devils, and Nicky Butt played a key role.

Butt started the 1999 Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, the most famous of the 387 appearances he made for the club.

His career at United came to an end in 2004, when the Red Devils sold him to Newcastle for £2.5 million, as part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s plan to revamp his midfield.

Butt had been squeezed out by the signings of Juan Veron, Liam Miller, Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba, while long-time teammate Phil Neville had also been called into a midfield role too.

He still made 21 appearances for United in his final season, but it was clear Ferguson was ready to experiment and move forward, even though his new signings all struggled.

It was only when Michael Carrick joined United in 2006 that Ferguson found his new midfield general, forced into the market by Roy Keane’s acrimonious exit.

Nicky Butt harboured hope of dream return

Nicky Butt spent six years at Newcastle, but undoubtedly his best years were at Manchester United.

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Injuries impacted him early on, and the manager who signed him, Sir Bobby Robson, was replaced by Graeme Souness.

Despite this Butt lasted at Newcastle until 2010, but he admitted that a 2009 phone call with Sir Alex Ferguson gave him brief hope of a Manchester United comeback.

Speaking to The Good, The Bad & The Football, Butt explained: “When Newcastle got relegated Michael [Owen]’s out of contract. He was officially free.

“I got a phone call. The phone goes, the only time my phone ever rings on withheld number is Sir Alex.

“The phone goes, I’m thinking, ‘he’s coming back in for me’.

“He goes, how you doing? Yeah. And it’s nice. It’s like going around the houses, I’m thinking, ‘Come on, get to it. Tell me you want me to come back’.

“He went, talk to about Michael Owen’. I thought for ____ sake.”

Butt and Owen played alongside each other at Newcastle and for England, including at the 2002 World Cup, where the United midfielder was praised by Pele.

At the time of the call in 2009, United were three-peat Premier League champions, and had just lost the Champions League final, after winning it in 2008.

Butt recommended Owen to United

After realising that Sir Alex Ferguson purely wanted his insight instead of actually bringing him back, Butt was happy to help out.

Explaining his response, “I said, yeah, he’s unbelievable finisher. He’s not obviously got the legs he once did, but no-brainer, he’s out of contract. He’ll score goals.”

Butt said he was eventually happy to play his part in advising his former side, with United signing Owen on a free transfer.

Owen delivered on his ability to score goals, but his fitness let him down and stopped him finding any level of sustained success.

In a recent interview Owen admitted to feeling fear when Paul Scholes got the ball, knowing that he was unable to break the defence with breakneck speed like he was once able to.

Butt spent two more years at Newcastle, leaving in 2010 for a stint in China before retiring in 2011.

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