In every single transfer window that Manchester United have, there's always hundreds of names linked to the club.
United are the biggest football team in the world are there are countless reasons why footballers are associated with them.
It could be the player using United's name to get a big contract, or just pure fabricated gossip, but there isn't a day that goes by where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is rumoured to like a certain player.
This summer United had a relatively successful transfer window with the additions of Tom Heaton, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo. But it hasn't always been this way.
Last summer was considered a failure by United supporters because of the failure to capture Sancho and Edinson Cavani looking like a panic buy, being brought in on deadline day. Whilst he proved to be a successful signing, the manner in which his services were acquired wasn't a good look at the time.
There have also been plenty of players down the years who've been regularly linked with a move to the club, but nothing ever materialised in the end.
So, with January just a few months away and United needing a midfielder, our United Fan Brand's writer, Omar Garrick, has taken a trip down memory lane and given us his top five signings that didn't happen at the club.
1. Wesley Sneijder
I'm putting this as my top one because it's the first transfer saga I remember involving United.
In one of the great never-ending transfer sagas, in 2011, Sneijder admitted that he had 'unofficial talks' with United and that a move could've happened.
At the time, the Dutchman was one of the most creative players in world football, two years after winning the Champions League with Inter Milan. He was exactly what United needed at the time.
After three years of noteworthy links, the rumour died and a Sneijder eventually moved to Galatasaray.
Former United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has recently come out and said that United were never really in for him;
He told the club's official podcast: "Well, you mention the boy Sneijder, that's come up a lot of times but we were never interested in Sneijder.
"I don't know where that came from but you get a lot of them. Every Sunday, in The People, when I first came, they were throwing names in all the time, you know."
2. Ronaldinho
The thought of Ronaldinho in a Manchester United shirt will never fail to not upset me. Just imagine if it had happened. That period where United wasn't winning league titles between 2002-2006 could've been so different. I think another Champions League would've been in the bag. He was simply the best player in the world at the time.
United were keeping tabs on the PSG player after he eliminated England out of the 2002 World Cup. Unfortunately though, the player turned Sir Alex Ferguson down and joined Barcelona in 2003.
He would go on to have a glittering career and United missed out. But they also signed Cristiano Ronaldo instead. I wonder how that turned out!!
3. Alan Shearer
I wasn't alive at this point but when you hear about it from friends, family and the United crowd ('You Are My Solskjaer' chant), it's hard to avoid this one!
The young English forward was at Southampton at the time and was tipped to become a superstar. He had everything.
But Shearer rejected United in favour of Blackburn Rovers and this was due to finances. They were loaded under Jack Walker and offered him more money.
Alex Ferguson’s still pursued, even when he was at Blackburn and continued to keep tabs on him going into the summer of 1996.
United had won the double, but Shearer wanted to move to his boyhood club Newcastle United, which was achieved in a world record deal at the time.
Instead, Fergie signed Teddy Sherringham from Tottenham Hotspur. That didn't turn out badly, did it?
4. Gareth Bale
There have been so many times where United have been linked with a move for Bale, stretching back to Ferguson's time as manager.
When he was at Southampton, United were thought to be ahead of the queue to signed the Welsh player, but he eventually signed for Tottenham and the rest is history, as they say.
Bale eventually signed for Real Madrid in 2013, but United made a late move for him under David Moyes. However, he had his heart set on a move to the Spanish capital.
The one that got away? Yes, but also no, as United have Ronaldo!
5. Sergio Ramos
Who could ever forget this one? It hurt, that's for sure.
It seemed destined that Sergio Ramos was about to join Manchester United after rejecting a contract proposal from Real Madrid.
At the time, all reports in the media indicated that Ramos wanted to move to England and was ready for a new challenge.
However, just weeks later, it was reported that Ramos was ready to make a dramatic U-turn and sign a new deal with the Spanish giants.
When his new five-year deal was confirmed, Ramos said: “I know this renewal has taken a while, but my heart and head have always been with Real Madrid so I couldn’t be happier.”
What a cheeky boy indeed!
Follow our UnitedOnMyMind writer, Omar Garrick, on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.
